Hepatoprotective effect of Carissa carandas Linn root extract against CCl4 and paracetamol induced hepatic oxidative stress.

Oral pre-treatment with ethanolic extract of the roots of C. carandas (ERCC; 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, po) showed significant hepatoprotective activity against CCl4 and paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity by decreasing the activities of serum marker enzymes, bilirubin and lipid peroxidation, and significant increase in the levels of uric acid, glutathione, super oxide dismutase, catalase and protein in a dose dependent manner, which was confirmed by the decrease in the total weight of the liver and histopathological examination. Data also showed that ERCC possessed strong antioxidant activity, which may probably lead to the promising hepatoprotective activities of C. carandas root extract. These findings therefore supported the traditional belief on hepatoprotective effect of the roots of C. carandas.