Hepatoprotective activity of polyherbal tablet containing <i>Andrographis paniculata</i> and <i>Tephrosia purpurea</i> extracts against paracetamol-induced toxicity in rats

Sanjay Lohar; Sunil Jalalpure; Kalpana Patil; Popat Kumbhar; Rutuja Patil; Sanjay Lohar; Sunil Jalalpure; Kalpana Patil; Popat Kumbhar; Rutuja Patil

doi:10.3934/molsci.2026002

AIMS Molecular Science

2026, Volume 13, Issue 1: 10-22. doi: 10.3934/molsci.2026002

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Research article

Hepatoprotective activity of polyherbal tablet containing Andrographis paniculata and Tephrosia purpurea extracts against paracetamol-induced toxicity in rats

1.
Department of Pharmacognosy, Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warana University, Warananagar, 416113, Maharashtra, India
2.
Department of Pharmacognosy, KLE College of Pharmacy Belagavi-590 010
3.
Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Annasaheb Dange College of B. Pharmacy, Ashta, Sangli, 416301, India

Received: 10 June 2025 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 02 December 2025 Published: 16 January 2026

Hepatic diseases are a serious concern across the globe. The death of liver cells is a significant cause of liver diseases. Phytochemicals from Andrographis paniculata and Tephrosia purpurea are reported to have hepatoprotective potential. The oral delivery of extracts containing phytochemicals using a tablet can produce a synergistic effect and enhance safety and patient compliance. This study aimed to extract phytochemicals from those plants and investigate their phytochemical potential, the pre- and post-compression attributes of the extracts' powder, their compression into tablets, and the in vivo performance of the tablets in paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Phytochemical screening of two extracts revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, carbohydrates, terpenoids, tannins, proteins, cholesterol, diterpenes, and glycosides. Evaluation of pre-compression properties revealed good flowability and suitability for compression into tablets. The post-compression quality control parameters were found to match the standard. The polyherbal tablet exhibited dose-dependent hepatoprotective activity in rats. The histological study revealed that the administration of 650 mg/kg body weight of paracetamol resulted in damage to the liver, as evidenced by increased levels of various enzymes, such as serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and total proteins (TP). Liver enzyme levels were significantly (p < 0.005) decreased after treatment with the polyherbal tablet formulations. Furthermore, histological analysis showed that the liver anatomy of the rats given polyherbal tablets was restored to near-normal architecture. The polyherbal tablet comprising A. paniculata and T. purpurea extracts can be a promising approach in treating hepatotoxicity.
- Andrographis paniculata,
- Tephrosia purpurea,
- hepatotoxicity,
- hepatoprotective activity,
- polyherbal tablet,
- in vivo activity
Citation: Sanjay Lohar, Sunil Jalalpure, Kalpana Patil, Popat Kumbhar, Rutuja Patil. Hepatoprotective activity of polyherbal tablet containing Andrographis paniculata and Tephrosia purpurea extracts against paracetamol-induced toxicity in rats[J]. AIMS Molecular Science, 2026, 13(1): 10-22. doi: 10.3934/molsci.2026002

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Abstract

Hepatic diseases are a serious concern across the globe. The death of liver cells is a significant cause of liver diseases. Phytochemicals from Andrographis paniculata and Tephrosia purpurea are reported to have hepatoprotective potential. The oral delivery of extracts containing phytochemicals using a tablet can produce a synergistic effect and enhance safety and patient compliance. This study aimed to extract phytochemicals from those plants and investigate their phytochemical potential, the pre- and post-compression attributes of the extracts' powder, their compression into tablets, and the in vivo performance of the tablets in paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Phytochemical screening of two extracts revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, carbohydrates, terpenoids, tannins, proteins, cholesterol, diterpenes, and glycosides. Evaluation of pre-compression properties revealed good flowability and suitability for compression into tablets. The post-compression quality control parameters were found to match the standard. The polyherbal tablet exhibited dose-dependent hepatoprotective activity in rats. The histological study revealed that the administration of 650 mg/kg body weight of paracetamol resulted in damage to the liver, as evidenced by increased levels of various enzymes, such as serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and total proteins (TP). Liver enzyme levels were significantly (p < 0.005) decreased after treatment with the polyherbal tablet formulations. Furthermore, histological analysis showed that the liver anatomy of the rats given polyherbal tablets was restored to near-normal architecture. The polyherbal tablet comprising A. paniculata and T. purpurea extracts can be a promising approach in treating hepatotoxicity.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their deepest gratitude to the faculty members of KLE College of Pharmacy, Belagavi, and Tatyasaheb Kore College of Pharmacy, Warananagar, Kolhapur, for their unwavering support and guidance throughout this research project. Their continued motivation and provision of essential resources were instrumental in the successful completion of this work.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare no conflicts of interest in this paper.

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