PHARMACOLOGICAL EFFECT OF ANDROGROPHIS PANICULATA IN AMMONIUM ACETATE INDUCED HYPERAMMONEMIA: A DOSE-DEPENDENT STUDY

Abstract

Androgrophis paniculata is a commonly used medicinal plant in south Asian countries including India and Sri Lanka. Ammonium acetate was used as a food preservation reagent in food industries. This study is focused on the pharmacological effect of Androgrophis paniculata on the functioning of the liver, kidney and brain in ammonium acetate induced hyperammonemia rats. The hyperammonemia is induced by intraperitoneal injection of ammonium acetate 100 mg/kg body weight thrice a week for eight consecutive weeks. Hyperammonemia rats are supplemented orally with Androgrophis paniculata at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight doses. Hyperammonemic rats showed increased circulating levels of ammonia, uric acid, creatinine, bilirubin, nitric oxide, lipid profile, enzymatic liver marker, sodium/potassium-ATPase and reduced level of urea. Androgrophis paniculata supplementation prevented the histopathological alteration of a vital organ such as liver, brain and kidney tissue. The pharmacological effects are more pronounced in rats treated with 100 mg/kg b.w of Androgrophis paniculata and comparable with the standard drug sodium benzoate drug-treated rats.