Comparative hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Berberis asiatica stem bark and root

Abstract

Context Berberis asiatica, a shrub with common name Kilmora in Kumaun, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, and Mount Abu of India, is used as a hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, analgesic, diuretic, antimicrobial, strong wound healer, and antirheumatic medicine. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate B. asiatica stem bark and root extract for their antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity. Materials and methods The stem bark and root extracts were obtained with methanol for determining antioxidant activity and hydroalcoholic solvent for hepatoprotective activity using maceration process. The methanolic and hydroalcoholic extracts of B. asiatica stem bark and root were evaluated for in-vitro antioxidant activity using various methods, and the hepatoprotective activity was also assessed against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage in rats at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. Results The half maximal inhibitory concentration value of root and stem bark extract for DPPH was found to be 102.31 and 120.7 μg/ml and for ABTS it was 32.24 and 26.724 μg/ml, respectively. There were significantly higher restorations of enzyme level on treatment with B. asiatica root extract (200 mg/kg) than with stem bark extract (200 mg/kg) observed. Conclusion The present study showed that both the stem bark and the root of B. asiatica possess antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity, although the root possesses significantly higher activity as well as higher antioxidant compounds − namely, total phenol, ascorbic acid, tannin, and flavonoid − compared with stem bark.