HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF BOERHAAVIA-DIFFUSA L ROOTS - A POPULAR INDIAN ETHNOMEDICINE

The roots of Boerhaavia diffusa L., commonly known as 'Punarnava', are used by a large number of tribes in India for the treatment of variou s hepatic disorders. In the present study the effect of seasons, thick ness of roots and form of dose,(either aqueous or powder) were studied for their hepatoprotective action to prove the claims made by the dif ferent tribes of India. The hepatoprotective activity of roots of diff erent diameters collected in three seasons, rainy, summer and winter, was examined in thioacetamide intoxicated rats. The results showed tha t an aqueous extract (2 ml/kg) of roots of diameter 1-3 cm, collected in the month of May (Summer), exhibited marked protection of a majorit y of serum parameters, i.e. GOT, GPT, ACP and ALP, but not GLDH and bi lirubin, thereby suggesting the proper size and time of collection of B. diffusa L. roots for the most desirable results. Further, the studi es also proved that the aqueous form of drug (2 ml/kg) administration has more hepatoprotective activity than the powder form; this is proba bly due to the better absorbtion of the liquid form through the intest inal tract. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.