Hepatoprotective activity of Satwa, an Ayurvedic formulation, against alcohol-induced liver injury in rats

Context . Guduchi Satwa is an Ayurvedic formulation prepared from Tinospora species. It has been used since ancient times to treat liver disorders. Objectives . The study intended to assess the hepatoprotective potential of Satwa prepared from 3 forms of Tinospora against alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity. Design . Male, albino Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups, with 6 rats each: 3 control groups-healthy controls, negative controls, and positive controls-and 3 intervention groups-Tinospora cordifolia, Tinospora sinensis, and Neem-Guduchi. Setting . The study was carried out at the Animal House facility of Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University's Medical College (Maharashtra, India). Intervention . Hepatotoxicity was induced by repeated dosing with alcohol for 15 d for all groups except for the healthy controls. To induce hepatotoxicity, the 5 groups received 1 mL of 30% alcohol PO per 100 g of body weight per day. The healthy controls and the negative controls received no hepatoprotective treatments. The other 4 groups received the dosing with alcohol 30 min after the hepatoprotective treatment, which they also received for 15 d: (1) positive controls-100 mg of silymarin per kg of body weight per day PO; (2) intervention group 1 (T cordifolia group)-200 mg of T cordifolia per kg of body weight per day PO; (3) intervention group 2 (T sinensis group)-200 mg of T sinensis per kg of body weight per day PO; and (4) intervention group 3 (Neem-Guduchi group)-200 mg of Neem-Guduchi per kg of body weight per day PO. Outcome Measures . Serum and liver tissue were used for biochemical analysis. Results . For the negative and positive control groups and the 3 intervention groups, the repeated dosing with alcohol produced elevations in the levels of liver-marker enzymes and changes in the lipid-profile status of the animals. Satwa from T cordifolia had a specific action in maintaining the lipid profile: total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and very low-density lipoprotein. Improvement in the hepatic function, normalization of the lipid profile in the serum and liver, and improvements in the levels of antioxidant enzymes and oxidative-stress markers were observed in the animals treated with T sinensis Satwa. Neem-Guduchi Satwa was found to have a specific action in maintaining the lipid profile. The differential hepatoprotective effect of that Satwa was also evident from the liver histology. Conclusions . The data suggest that the 3 Satwa might be used in combination as a liver tonic that can help restore and strengthen the liver functions. The current study shows that the combination has the potential to be an effective liver tonic in animals. Scientific data from clinical trials of the 3 Satwa are not available. Systematic clinical trials are required that can yield information on their effects in humans.