HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY STUDIES OF CUCUMIS TRIGONUS ROXB. AGAINST RIFAMPICIN-ISONIAZID-INDUCED TOXICITY IN RATS.

The fruits of Cucumis trigonus Roxb. was analysed for the hepatoprotective activity against albino rats with liver damage induced by rifampicin-isoniazid. Rifampicin (RIF) plus isoniazid (INH) treated rats showed significant increase in the levels of serum enzyme activities, reflecting the liver injury. The ethanolic extract of the fruits of Cucumis trigonus showed normalization of body weight, biochemical parameters like serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum alkaline phosphatase (SALP), γglutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP), total bilirubin (TB), total protein (TP) as well as the levels of liver homogenates, Lipid peroxidase (LPO), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GRD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH). The effects of ethanolic extract of the fruits of Cucumis trigonus (100 mg/kgbw ip 250 mg/kgbw ip & 500 mg/kgbw ip) was compared with that of the standard drug, silymarin. The ethanolic extract showed significant hepatoprotective activity in 500 mg/kg ip dose. The hepatoprotective activity has also been supported by histopathological studies of liver tissue.