Protective effect of Bacopa monnieri against Methotrexate induced Hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats

Background: Methotrexate (MTX) is an anticancer drug and its clinical efficacy is limited to the toxicity associated with the liver. In this study, we examine the potential role of aqueous leaf extracts of Bacopa monnieri to counter methotrexate-induced hepatotoxicity. Methods: This study was undertaken by considering 36 numbers. Wistar male rats were randomly segregated into six groups, with six rats per group. Groups 1 and 2 were kept as normal controls and methotrexate was treated on the 9th day. While groups 3 and 4 received an aqueous extract of the leaf of B. monnieri at two varied doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg, respectively, as a treatment, Whereas groups 5 and 6 kept B. monnieri perse and the standard hepatoprotective drug silymarin @ 200 mg/kg and experiment was conducted for 14 days period. After the experimental procedure, AST, ALT, TNF-á and IL-10 were measured and histopathology of the liver was done. Result: The present study revealed significant alterations in AST, ALT, TNF-alfa and IL-10 in methotrexate-treated rats (group 2) when compared to group 1 and treatment groups 4 and 5 revealed significant improvement and these results were validated through imaging in the histopathology of the liver. We conclude that Bacopa monnieri can efficiently reduce methotrexate-induced liver inflammation and can be used in the management of hepatotoxicity in the liver.