Hepatoprotective activity of leaves of Kalanchoe pinnata Pers.

Kalanchoe pinnata Pers. is naturalized throughout the hot and moist parts of India. Juice of the fresh leaves is used very effectively for the treatment of jaundice in folk medicines of Bundelkhand region of India. The juice of the leaves and the ethanolic extract of the marc left after expressing the juice were studied in rats against CCl(4)-induced hepatotoxicity. The test material was found effective as hepatoprotective as evidenced by in vitro, in vivo and histopathological studies. The juice was found more effective than ethanolic extract.