Liver Shield from Nature: Hepatoprotective Potential of Berberis lycium Extracts | InformativeBD

Sami Ullah Sherani,  Javied Iqbal,  Amanullah Khan,  Muhammad Ali Khan, Nadeem Rashid,  Mohammad Rahim Niazi,  Zia Ud Din and Mohamad Kamran Taj, from the institute of Pakistan. wrote a Research article about, Liver Shield from Nature: Hepatoprotective Potential of Berberis lycium Extracts. entitled, Evaluation of hepato-protective activity of B. lycium methenolic crude extracts collected from Distric Sherani, Balochistan. This research paper published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences | JBES. an open access scholarly research journal on Biodiversity. under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences| INNSpub. an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

Berberis lycium which is commonly called as Indian barberry (English) and Kashmal or Ishkeen in Urdu, is a spiky plant which is the member of the genus Berberis of family Berberidaceae. B. lycium also includes anti-hepatotoxicity effect, when was mixed with G. aparine and P. integerrima and was tested in rats that were treated with carbon tetra chloride; the results revealed that the combination of these three medicinal plants encompasses anti hepatotoxicity effects. B. lycium (root) sample was collected from the hill of village of Ahmadedergah near to Tahkhta Suleiman District Sherani Balochistan, Pakistan. The collected samples were identified by Pharmacognosy, Department faculty of Pharmacy University of Baluchistan, Quetta. Adult healthy rabbits (male) having weights approximately 950g-1300g, were kept in animals house at CASVAB, UoB. Sample serum, within 3 hours after collection , was analyzed  for certain biochemical parameters (Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total Proteins like Bilirubin,  Albumin and Globulin) through automatic analyzer (Merck) at 37oC through standard reagent kits. The obtained values for LFT in the current portion of controlled group were, 0.76± 0.060, 0.032±0.008(mg/dL), 4.2±0.802, 93.8±1.500, 2.28±0.107 and 273±2.818(U/L) for TB, DB, ALT, AKP, GGT, SGOT and SGPT (AST) levels. Whereas, the group treated with CCl4 these parameters were, 0.86±0.075, 0.064+0.006(mg/dL), 4.6±0.680, 2.44±0.150, 90.4±3.467 and 218.4±1.439(U/L) level. While, the group treated with CCl4 and B. lycium 500mg, the above parameters were calculated as 0.92±0.086, 0.442±0.228(mg/dL), 4.4±0.601, 93.2±1.244, 2.62±0.097 and 221.6±1.540(U/L), respectively.

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Introduction

In Pakistan, many native plants are utilized in herbal medicine to treat diseases and injuries. Such plants often shows a broad spectrum of biologic and pharmacologic activities, for example, they are able to reduce inflammation, having antibacterial and antifungal properties Cowan MM. “(1999). The root, bark, seed and fruit extracts of the medicinal plants are used in syrups and infusions, traditionally (Imtiaz and Manzoor, 2003).

Berberis lycium, which is commonly called as Indian barberry (English) and Kashmal or Ishkeen in Urdu, is a spiky plant which is the member of the genus Berberis of family Berberidaceae. (Sabir et al., 2013). It is found in the moderate and semitropical Asian, European and American divisions (Jabeen et al., 2015). In Pakistan it is extensively distributed in Baluchistan, KPK and Punjab provinces, especially in northerly regions, Swat and Azad Kashmir at elevation of 900 to 2900m (Dhar et al., 2012)

B. lycium is a vertical flowering bush plant that increases to a length of 3-4 meters, having a solid timber stem and is enclosed in a slight fragile bark. The branches of B. lycium are light white to grayish and have thorns alternatively fixed on them (Ahmad and Sharif, 2009). Root bark could be approximately 3 mm solid, from the outside fractured and inside smooth (Chauhan, N. S. (1999) B. lycium is extensively utilized for the treatment UTI, swelling of spleen, stomach and intestinal ulcer and liver diseases (Irshad et al., 2013). Local population utilizes the powdered form of dried root bark after combining with dissolved animal fat for bone fractures as a bandage. Shoots of the plant are employed for the abdomen pain, jaundice and loose bowels (Beers, 2012). The bark of the plant has wound healing activity (Asif, et al., 2007).

B. lycium also includes anti-hepatotoxicity effect, when was mixed with G. aparine and P. integerrima and was tested in rats that were treated with carbon tetra chloride; the results revealed that the combination of these three medicinal plants encompasses anti hepatotoxicity effects. (Atawodi et al., 2011). To estimate Hepatoprotective effect of B. lycium, crude powder and Methanolic extract of plant were used. CCl4 was given to the rabbits to induce hepatotoxicity. Results showed that plant considerably decreased the elevated levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase and alkaline phosphatase enzymes in hepatotoxic rabbits (Malik et al., 2011). The present study was therefore designed to evaluate the in vitro Hepatoprotective effect of B. lycium.

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Article source : Evaluation of hepato-protective activity of B. lycium methenolic crude extracts collected from Distric Sherani, Balochistan