Portulaca olerecea L. and its Antihepatotoxic Activity

Portulaca Olerecea L. is a well know herb commonly known as purslane in the U.S. It is herbaceous weed distributed all over India up to 170m in the Himalaya and in all warm countries. The leaves are sour, bitter, saltish; reduce small tumors and inflammations; good for ulcers, asthma, urinary discharges; cures diarrhea, dysentery, leprosy, and piles (Ayurveda). The leaves are sour; recommended in bilious conditions and low fevers; allay thirst and headache; stops vomiting; good in diseases of the kidney and the spleen, in stomatitis of children, piles, scalds and burns; should not be given to persons suffering from cold with or without cough (Unani). The present work reports antihepatotoxic potential of crude extracts of the plant against carbontetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats using Silymarin as standard.