Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Ipomoea staphylina Linn

Medicinal and aromatic plants have the potential to treat various disorders both human and animals. This present work investigated the hepatoprotective and antioxidant potential of aqueous extract of Ipomoea staphylina leaves on Wistar rats against CCl₄-induced liver injury.

In vitro free radical scavenging activity of aqueous extract of Ipomoea staphylina (AIS) was estimated using ABTS [2, 2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)} and DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radicals. Pharmacologically important phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds and flavonoids were analyzed using HPLC technique. Hepatotoxicity was induced by oral administration of CCl₄ at 1 mL/kg body weight of Wistar rats twice a week for 8 weeks. Experimental rats received AIS orally at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg daily for 8 weeks. Silymarin, a routine hepatoprotective drug, was used as a reference drug.

Total phenolics and flavonoid content of AIS are 20.78 ± 0.86 mg of GAE/g and 17.78 ± 0.45 mg of RE/g of extract respectively. ABTS and DPPH free radical scavenging activity of AIS exhibits the IC₅₀ value of 32.08 ± 0. 12 and 45.24 ± 0.65 μg/mL respectively. HPLC analysis of AIS showed the presence of polyphenolic compounds such as protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, vanillin, p-coumaric acid, naringinin, qurecetin, rutin and flavon. Treatment with AIS restored the biochemical parameters towards normal level, prevented the occurrence of LPO and significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the levels of enzymatic (SOD and catalase) and non-enzymatic (reduced glutathione) antioxidants in CCl₄ administered Wistar rats. Histopathology results confirmed the hepatoprotective effect of AIS.