Hepatoprotective Activity of a Benzopyrone from Tephrosia purpurea Pers

Objective: To study hepatoprotective activity of a new benzopyrone derivative (TP) isolated from the alcoholic extract of aerial parts of Tephrosia purpurea Pers. Materials and methods: Compound TP was isolated from alcoholic extract of T. purpurea by normal phase column chromatography using toluene: ethyl acetate (70:30) as mobile phase and structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Hepatoprotective activity of TP and the alcoholic extract was evaluated using carbon tetrachloride, paracetamol and rifampicin as toxicants. The potency of TP (100 mg/kg) and the alcoholic extract of aerial parts (200 mg/kg), was compared with silymarin (100 mg/kg). The SGOT, SGPT, total and direct bilirubin levels of blood were measured spectrophotometrically. Results: Compound TP was found to be 3-hydroxy, 6-methoxy, 2-oxy (3-butanone), 7 (dioxolane-4-one), 2, 3,-dihydrobenzopyrone. The alcoholic extract and TP caused significant fall in the enzyme levels in serum in rats. Conclusion: Alcoholic extract of T. purpurea and TP have shown significant hepatoprotective activity in rats against all the toxicants that were studied.