Abstract:
The present study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of medicinal plant,
Basella rubra on paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in White LegHorn cockerels. Birds were divided into five groups of six birds each and birds in group I served as untreated control and was given distilled water for 23 days continuously. The group II birds were administered with paracetamol @ 2 g/kg body weight orally from 17
th day onwards and till the end of the experiment. Birds in the group III were given silyamin @ 100mg/kg for 16 days followed by paracetamol @ 2 g/kg body weight till the end of the experiment. Birds in group IV and V were administered with
Basella rubra @ 500mg and 2500 mg/kg body weight, respectively for 16 days followed by paracetamol @2 g/kg body weight till the end of the experiment along with the medicinal plant. Hemato-biochemical observations were recorded in all the groups treated. Pro inflammatory cytokines, IL6 and TNF-α were quantified using real time PCR. ALT, AST, GGT enzyme levels were found to be reversed in paracetamol intoxicated birds pre-treated with silymarin and
Basella rubra Fold changes in real time PCR were found to be increased in paracetamol treated birds as compared to other groups. The study suggests that
Basella rubra has the potential in reversing the paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in chicken.