Pharmacognostical and Pharmacological Evaluation of Flowers of Tagetes erecta L. for Hepatoprotective Activity

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to establish pharmacognostical standards and evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of the ethanolic extract of flowers of Tagetes erecta L. Fresh flowers were authenticated, shade dried, powdered, and subjected to organoleptic, macroscopic, microscopic, powder microscopic, fluorescence, and physicochemical evaluation. The physicochemical parameters showed moisture content of 8.42 ± 0.31%, total ash value of 7.86 ± 0.24%, acid-insoluble ash value of 0.68 ± 0.07%, water-soluble extractive value of 21.48 ± 0.52%, and alcohol-soluble extractive value of 18.76 ± 0.45%. The ethanolic extract showed the highest yield of 17.29% w/w and was selected for further studies. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of carbohydrates, glycosides, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, saponins, and terpenoids. The extract demonstrated appreciable antioxidant potential, which was attributed mainly to phenolic and flavonoid constituents. Acute oral toxicity study showed no mortality or significant behavioural abnormality up to 2000 mg/kg body weight. Hence, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg doses were selected for hepatoprotective evaluation. Paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats significantly elevated serum AST, ALT, ALP, bilirubin, cholesterol, triglycerides, malondialdehyde, and lipid peroxidation, while reducing total protein, albumin, superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, and glutathione peroxidase levels. Treatment with ethanolic extract of Tagetes erecta flowers significantly restored these altered biochemical and antioxidant parameters. The high dose of extract, 400 mg/kg, showed marked hepatoprotective activity comparable to silymarin. Histopathological examination also showed reduced hepatocellular degeneration, necrosis, inflammation, and fatty changes in extract-treated animals. The study concludes that the ethanolic extract of Tagetes erecta flowers possesses significant hepatoprotective activity, which may be attributed to its antioxidant, free-radical scavenging, and membrane-stabilizing properties.