Hepatoprotective activity of Leucas aspera Spreng against simvastatin induced hepatotoxicity in rats

The present study is to evaluate for hepatoprotective activity of Leucas aspera Spreng leaves extract, against simvastatin induced hepatotoxicity for 30days. Leaves of Leucas aspera Spreng was successively extracted with ethanol against simvastatin (20mg/kg.p.o) induced hepatotoxicity, using standard drug silymarin (20 mg/kg). There was a marked elevation of biochemical parameters such as increases in serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), alanine phosphatase (ALP), serum bilirubin and decrease the total proteins content in simvastatin treated rats, which were restored towards normalization in Leucas aspera Spreng (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/ kg) treated animals. The 400 mg/kg dose of Leucas aspera Spreng shows the best results than 200mg/kg, similar to silymarin (20 mg/kg). Histopathological observations confirmed the beneficial roles of Leucas aspera Spreng and silymarin against ethanol-induced liver injury in rats. Possible mechanism may involve their antioxidant activity.