Liver protective effect of chloroform extract of Bauhinia purpurea leaves is attributed partly to its antioxidant action and the presence of flavonoids

L. (Fabaceae) is used in the Ayurvedic system to treat various oxidative-related ailments (e.g., wounds, ulcers etc.). Therefore, it is believed that the plant also has the potential to alleviate oxidative-related liver damage. This study elucidates the hepatoprotective activity of chloroform extract of leaves (CEBP) in paracetamol (PCM)-induced liver injury (PILI) rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats ( = 6) were pre-treated once daily (p.o.) with CEBP (50-500 mg/kg) for seven consecutive days before being administered (p.o.) a hepatotoxic agent, 3 g/kg PCM. Liver enzyme levels were determined from the collected blood, while the collected liver was used to determine the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and for histopathological examination. CEBP was also subjected to radical scavenging assays and phytochemical analysis. CEBP significantly (