HEPATOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF ECLIPTA-ALBA ON SUBCELLULAR LEVELS IN RATS

The hepatoprotective effect of the ethanol/water (1:1) extract of Ecli pta alba (Ea) has been studied at subcellular levels in rats against C Cl4-induced hepatotoxicity. Ea significantly counteracted CCl4-induced inhibition of the hepatic microsomal drug metabolising enzyme amidopy rine N-demethylase and membrane bound glucose 6-phosphatase, but faile d to reverse the very high degree of inhibition of another drug metabo lising enzyme aniline hydroxylase. The loss of hepatic lysosomal acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase by CCl4 was significantly restore d by Ea. Its effect on mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase and adeno sine 5'-triphosphatase was not significant. The study shows that hepat oprotective activity of Ea is by regulating the levels of hepatic micr osomal drug metabolising enzymes.