Combined effect of hydroethanolic extracts of Murraya koenigii and Phyllanthus niruri leaves on paracetamol and ethanol-induced toxicity in HepG2 cell line

The present study is an attempt to determine the combined hepatoprotective potential of hydroethanolic leaf extracts of Murraya koenigii and Phyllanthus niruri against paracetamol (PCM) and ethanol-induced toxicity in human hepatoma HepG2 cell line. Toxicity in cells was induced by treatment with 15 mM PCM and 50 mM ethanol for 24 h as manifested by a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in cell viability, increase in the leakage of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and serum glutamate pyruvate in culture medium, increase in lipid peroxidation and reduction in reduced glutathione in cell lysate. These alterations were significantly ameliorated when cells were treated with a combination of hydroethanolic leaf extracts of M. koenigii and P. niruri, and silymarin during both prophylactic and curative studies. Both post-treatment (curative) and pre-treatment (prophylactic) with the combination of plant extracts were able show effective hepatoprotection. This was also evident during morphological studies. The combination of plant extracts thus holds immense potential for future use as a hepatoprotectant.