Hepatoprotective Potential of Euphorbia hirta

Dr.G.P.JEYANTHI, Professor of Biochemistry, Avinashilingam University, Coimbatore, Dr.S.SAROJA, Former Head and Professor of the same department and Dr.D.BRINDHA, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, PSG Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, have teaching and research experience in areas of Environmental Biochemistry and Clinical Toxicology.

Detoxification of drugs and xenobiotics occur in the liver. Antitubercular drugs usually cause acute liver failure. In recent times, focus on plant research has increased all over the world and medicinal plants are being used in various traditional systems. Herbs play important role in the management of various liver disorders. Intensive search is conducted currently to obtain active antioxidant compounds from non-nutritive components of plant origin. The hepatoprotective potential of Euphorbia hirta was studied in depth and presented in the text. Euphorbia hirta was characterized for selected phytochemicals, assessed for its antimutagenic potential, protection against lipid peroxidation and free radical scavenging action against antitubercular drug induced hepatotoxicity using in vitro and in vivo models and attempts were made to identify the active constituents in Euphorbia hirta. The background literature, objectives, experimental details, results and findings of the study and recommendations for future research are elaborately discussed which will be helpful for researchers in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Clinical Medicine, Pharmacology and Plant Biology.