January 2010
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164 Reads
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15 Citations
International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research
Prak-20 is a proprietary herbo-mineral ayurvedic formulation routinely used for years in the clinical practice of the first author in the treatment of liver ailments. Prak-20 is a judicious combination of nineteen herbs and Mandoor Bhasma. Three experimental studies were carried to evaluate its hepato-protective properties. In the first experiment, Prak-20 was compared vis-à-vis Liv52 in CCl 4 challenged Wister rats. The second study was a single blinded study of Prak-20 in CCl 4 challenged Wister rats. The third experiment was conducted to note the effect of different doses of Prak-20 in CCl 4 challenged albino rats. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum alanine transaminase (ALT), serum aspartate transaminase (AST), along with liver histology was done in all animals at the completion of the first two studies. There was no significant elevation of ALT, AST and ALP levels despite CCl 4 exposure in Prak-20 treated animals. Similarly, the histology studies revealed that all animals of the treatment group had regenerating hepatocytes and no necrotic and degenerative changes were noticed in any animal. In the third experiment, ALT and AST levels were studied after 24 and 48 hours of experiment. There was 54 and 37 percent decrease in ALT, AST levels in CCl 4 plus Prak-20 (1.8 gm/d/rat) treated animals, respectively, as compared to CCl 4 treated animals. Prak-20 treated animals also had minimum necrotic changes after seven days. Based on the findings of aforesaid experiments which were carried at three centers, it may be concluded that Prak-20 is a potent hepato-protective herbo-mineral ayurvedic formulation. Further studies are required to understand its mechanism of action.