The present study examined the preventive effects of Picrorhiza kurroa, an
ayurvedic medicinal plant, on D-galactosamine-induced hepatitis in rats, an
animal model of both drug-induced hepatitis and viral hepatitis of human b
eings. Levels of protein, glycoprotein, cholesterol, phospholipids, and lip
id peroxide products in plasma and erythrocyte membrane and the activities
of erythrocyte membrane antiperoxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase and c
atalase were determined. Prior oral treatment with an alcoholic extract of
Picrorhiza kurroa significantly prevented the D-galactosamine-induced decre
ases in the levels of protein and glycoprotein and in the activities of sup
eroxide dismutase and catalase. A tendency to prevent the D-galactosamine-i
nduced alterations in the levels of cholesterol, phospholipids and lipid pe
roxides was also observed. The antihepatotoxic potential of Picrorhiza kurr
oa might be ascribable to the antioxidant and hypolipidemic nature of Picro
rhiza kurroa.