PREVENTIVE AND CURATIVE EFFECTS OF BERBERIS-ARISTATA FRUIT EXTRACT ONPARACETAMOL-INDUCED AND CCL4-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY

The effect of an aqueous-methanol extract of Berberis aristata fruits (Berberidaceae) was investigated against paracetamol- and CCl4-induced hepatic damage. Paracetamol produced 100% mortality at a dose of 1 gl kg in mice while pre-treatment of animals with crude extract (500 mg/k g) reduced the death rate to 10%. Pre-treatment of rats with fruit ext ract (500 mg/kg, orally twice daily for 2 days) prevented (p<0.05) the paracetamol (640 mg/kg) as well as CCl4 (1.5 mL/kg)-induced rise in s erum transaminases (GOT and GPT). Post-treatment with three successive doses of extract (500 mg/kg, 6 h) restricted the hepatic damage induc ed by acetaminophen (p < 0.01) but CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity was not altered (p > 0.05). Plant extract (500 mg/kg) caused significant prol ongation (p<0.01) in pentobarbital (75 mg/kg)-induced sleep as well as increased strychnine-induced lethality in mice suggestive of inhibito ry effect on microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes (MDME). These result s indicate that the crude extract of Berberis aristata fruits exhibits hepatoprotective action partly through MDME inhibitory action.