PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ARTEMISIA-SCOPARIA EXTRACT AGAINST ACETAMINOPHEN-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY

1. Hepatoprotective activity of hydro-methanolic extract of Artemisia scoparia (Compositae) was investigated against acetaminophen-induced h epatic damage. 2. Acetaminophen at a dose of 1 g/kg produced 100% mort ality in mice while pretreatment of animals with plant extract (I 50 m g/kg) reduced the death rate to 20%. 3. Acetaminophen at a dose of 640 mg/kg produced liver damage in rats as manifested by the rise in seru m levels of GOT and GPT to 1528 +/- 310 and 904 +/- 261 IU/l (n = 10) respectively, compared to respective control values of 80 +/- 11 and 3 8 +/- 09. 4. Pretreatment of rats with plant extract (150 mg/kg) lower ed significantly the respective serum GOT and GPT levels to 85 +/- 11 and 23 +/- 06. 5. These results indicate that Artemisia scoparia conta ins hepatoprotective constituents and this study rationalizes the trad itional use of this plant in hepatobiliary disorders.