Abstract

The antioxidant effect of methanolic extract of Pongamia pinnata was evaluated against lead acetate induced hepatic damage in male albino rats. Methanolic extract from the flowers of P. pinnata at a dose level of 150 mg/kg b.wt/day was administered orally daily once for 90 days. The substantially decreased enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and non-enzymatic antioxidants like reduced glutathione (GSH), Vitamins C and E due to lead acetate treatment were restored towards normalization. Carvedilol at a dose level of 5 mg/kg b.wt/day was used as a standard reference also exhibited significant antioxidant activity against lead acetate induced hepatotoxicity. The results of this study strongly indicate that methanolic extract of P. pinnata has got a potent antioxidant action against lead acetate induced hepatic damage in rats.

Key words: Hepatoprotective, antioxidant enzymes, methanolic extract of Pongamia pinnata,lead acetate, carvedilol.

Abbreviation

SOD, Superoxide dismutase; CAT, catalase; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GR,glutathione reductase; GST, glutathione S-transferase; GSH, glutathione; CPCSEA, committee for the purpose of control and supervision on experimental animals; SPSS/PC, statistical package for social sciences, personal computer; DMRT, Duncan’s multiple range test; ROS,reactive oxygen species.