eng Oriental Scientific Publishing Company Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia 0973-1245 2015-08-15 12 2 1487 1493 1994 article Devendra S. Shirode 1 Brijendra B. Jain 2 C. B. Mahendra Kumar 3 Dept. of Pharmacology, Padm. Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Pharmacy, Akurdi, Pune – 44 and Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), Hyderabad, Telangana - 500 085 Associate Director, YSPM’s Yashoda Technical Campus, Satara, Maharashtra, India St. Mary’s College of Pharmacy, St. Francis Street, Secunderabad – 500 025 The present investigation was aimed to study the effect of ethanol extract of Sphaeranthus indicus against rifampicin induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The 70 % ethanol extract of aerial part of Sphaeranthus indicus (SIEE) at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg and silymarin 100 mg/kg were administered to the rifampicin challenged rats. The effect of SIEE and silymarin on physical (wet liver weight, liver volume) and biochemical parameters (SGOT, SGPT, ALP, direct and total Bilirubin) were measured in rifampicin induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Similarly, hepatic tissues were subjected to histopathological observations and in-vivo antioxidant activity (tissue glutathione and lipid peroxidation levels). Treatment with SIEE (200mg/kg and 400mg/kg) reduced the elevated levels of above mentioned physical parameters and biochemical markers of hepatotoxicity. Histopathological findings and in vivo antioxidants studies also confirmed that SIEE possess hepatoprotective effects. The hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant properties may be attributed to the polyphenolic compounds like flavonoids, saponins and tannins that are present in the SIEE. https://www.biotech-asia.org/vol12no2/efficacy-of-sphaeranthus-indicus-in-the-treatment-of-rifampicin-induced-hepatotoxicity-in-rats/ Sphaeranthus indicus; hepatoprotective; in vivo antioxidant; Rifampicin