Anti-hepatotoxic substances from Thunbergia Laurifolia and Phyllanthus Amarus

Abstract

Chemical investigation of Thunbergia laurifolia Linn. leaves (Family Acanthaceae) led to the isolation of two known phenolic compounds including, caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid. The chemical structure were determined by MS and NMR spectroscopic analyses and were compared with previously report data. In this study, anti-hepatotoxic activity of rosmarinic acid was investigated against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cell line. For the pretreatment study, rosmarinic acid exhibited protective effect on HepG2 cells induced by ethanol for 6 and 12 h. For the post-treatment study, HepG2 cells were treated with ethanol, and then with rosmarinic acid (1, 5, 10 μM). Rosmarinic acid showed significant increased cell viability of HepG2 cells treated with ethanol for 12 h. These results suggested the anti-hepatotoxic activity of rosmarinic acid against ethanol-induced HepG2 cells damage. From the whole plant of Phyllanthus amarus Schum&Thonn. (Euphorbiaceae) one known lignan compound, phyllanthin, was isolated. In the present study, anti-hepatotoxic activity of phyllanthin was investigated against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cell line. For the pretreatment study the protective effect of phyllanthin was observed on HepG2 cells induced by ethanol for 12 h. For the post-treatment study phyllanthin showed significant increased cell viability of HepG2 cells treated with ethanol for 12 h. These results suggested the potential anti-hepatotoxic activity of phyllanthin against ethanol-induced toxicity causing HepG2 cells damage Additionally, phyllanthin, was found to be a suitable biochemical marker for the assessment of P. amarus plant materials and commercial herbal drugs quality. A TLC-image analysis method using a computer software technology was developed and validated for the quantitation of phyllanthin in P. amarus plant materials and its commercial herbal drugs.