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Acclimatized Albino Rats (Wister variety) of either sex were divided into 8 groups having 5 rats
each; reared feeding on pulses, gram and bread. First 4 groups were non-alcoholic groups namely
groups-A1, A2, A3 and A4. Group A1 was the Normal Control Group and Groups- A2, A3 and A4
were administered orally with water- extract of Azadirachta indica leaves in dosage of 200μg/kg,
400μg/kg and 600μg/kg of body weight for 4 weeks. In rest 4 groups namely B1, B2, B3 and B4,
alcoholic hepatopathy was induced by oral administration of 1000μl of 30% ethanol daily for 4
weeks. Groups- B2, B3 and B4 were administered orally with water- extract of A. indica leaves in
dosage of 200μg/kg, 400μg/kg and 600μg/kg of body weight, parallel to alcohol administration.
Investigations of Aspartate Transferase (AST), Alanine Transferase (ALT), Alkaline Phosphatase
(ALP) activities in blood serum; Lipid Peroxide (LPO), Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST) and
Cytochrome p450 (CYP) activities in liver homogenate after the experimental period leads to a
conclusion that A. indica leaf- extract is not an ideal hepatoprotector. In lower dosage (less than
200μg/kg) though it showed some hepatoprotective role, it was found to be highly toxic in higher
dosage (over 200μg/kg) and have adverse impact on liver.
Keywords: Hepatopathy, alcoholism, toxicity, Albino Rats.