Chemical Composition and Hepatoprotective Activity of Saponaria officinalis on Paracetamol-Induced Liver Toxicity in Rats

Background: The present day life style causing different illness including liver diseases and different health complications. So, there is a need to identify new chemical entities with more efficiency in the treatment of diseases and less side effects. There were many reports in recent times, about identifying new drugs from different medicinal plants and also precursors for synthesis new bioactive molecules for treating various diseases. Objective: The present study was carried out on root parts (rhizomes) of S. officinalis for phytochemical analysis and hepatoprotective activity on Paracetamol-induced liver toxicity. Materials and Methods: The phytochemical analysis was carried out to know biological active compounds in different extracts of S. officinalis using standard procedures and quantified the total alkaloid and phenolic contents. Hepatoprotective activity of the S. officinalis extracts were carried out by using Paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Results: The phytochemical analysis of S. officinalis roots’ extracts showed presence of sterols, terpenoids, glycosides, carbohydrates, proteins, flavanoids, alkaloids, phenols, tannins and absence of saponins and oils. The methanolic extract showed more phenolic and alkaloid contents on their quantification. The S. officinalis roots extracts are found to be safe at 2000 mg/kg b. w. in acute toxicity study and showed dose dependent percentage protection on liver toxicity. Methanol extract showed more activity at 500mg/kg b. w. and is comparable with standard drug Liv 52 on altered liver biomarker enzymes AST (SGOT), ALT (SGPT), ALP, total bilirubin and total protein with percentage protection 56.17%, 54.53%, 61.55% 57.29% and 53.66%. Conclusion: The present study results indicates that phytochemical constituent’s diversity in S. officinalis and those extracts possess hepatoprotective activity. Further studies are needed and should involve the isolation of pure, biologically active compounds