Protective effect of Sesbania grandiflora against erythromycin estolate-induced hepatotoxicity.

Sesbania grandiflora, commonly known as 'sesbania', is widely used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of liver disorders. Oral administration of an ethanolic extract of S. grandiflora leaves (200 mg/kg/day) for 15 days produced significant hepatoprotection against erythromycin estolate (800 mg/kg/day)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The increased level of serum enzymes (aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase), bilirubin, cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, free fatty acids, plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hydroperoxides observed in rats treated with erythromycin estolate were significantly decreased in rats treated concomitantly with sesbania extract and erythromycin estolate. The sesbania extract also restored the depressed levels of antioxidants to near normal. The results of the study reveal that sesbania could afford a significant protective effect against erythromycin estolate-induced hepatotoxicity. The effect of sesbania was compared with that of silymarin, a reference hepatoprotective drug.