Antioxidant Activity of the Combined Ethanolic Extract of Derris brevipes and Derris indica against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Plants like Derris brevipes (papiloniaceae) and Derris indica (leguminosae-papilionioideae) are used for various hepatic ailments in Indian traditional medicine. The efficacy of the combined ethanolic Bi-Herbal Extract (BHE) from the leaves of Derris brevipes and seeds of Derris indica against carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative stress was tested using wistar albino rats. The antioxidant activity was assessed by monitoring the levels of lipid peroxides, antioxidant enzymes like glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-s-transferase, superoxide dismutase and catalase, and non-enzymic antioxidants like reduced glutathione, vitamin-C, vitamin-E, cereloplasmin and uric acid in the liver tissues. Administration of carbon tetrachloride increased the level of lipid peroxides, decreased the activities of enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants. Pre-treatment with ethanolic extract significantly prevented the alterations induced by carbon tetrachloride and maintained a near normal antioxidant status. Decreased activities of enzymes in carbon tetrachloride intoxicated rats and their reversal in the ethanolic extract treated rats shows the potency of ethanolic extract in combating carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative stress.