Rungia parviflora belongs to the family Acanthaceae (Linn.). The dried and powdered leaves were extracted with ethanol in Soxhlet's apparatus for 12 hrs. The extract was subjected to toxicity studies at the doses of 5, 50, 300, and 2000 mg/kg under the observation of 24 hrs. An acute toxicity study of ethanolic extract was found to be toxic (1/2 of rats died) at a dose of 2000 mg/kg, orally. Hence, it was taken as LD 50 . Further, the hepatoprotective activity of Ethanolic extract at the dose level of 250mg/kg and 500 mg/kg ware studied in Wistar male rats against thioacetamide (400mg/kg p.o.) induced hepatotoxicity. Silymarin 100mg/kg p.o. was taken as a standard hepatoprotective drug. The hepatoprotective activity was studied by determining the parameters like SGPT, SGOT, Total Bilirubin, ALT, Pentobarbitone induced sleeping time, Ascorbic acid content in urine, in-vitro Bromsulphalein uptake test and Histopathological observation of liver. Overall study indicated that ethanolic extract of leaves of Rungia parviflora at a dose level of 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg significantly protects the liver against hepatotoxicity induced by thioacetamide.
INTRODUCTION:Medicinal uses of many plants are yet scientifically proven even though their traditional uses have been mentioned for years. One of such plants, Rungia parviflora belongs to the family Acanthaceae. Traditionally it is used as aperient, febrifuge, Refrigerant, smallpox 1 as six spoonfuls of plant juice is taken three times a day 2 . The leaves are rubbed and extracted juice is applied to the wound and cut externally 3 .