Hepatoprotective activity and phytochemical study of Albizia lebbeck flowers

The total alcoholic extract of Albizia lebbeck, flowers, family Fabaceae showed a highly significant (P< 0.001) protective effect on CCl₄-induced liver toxicity. Best improvement in biochemical parameters comparable with silymarin was observed in AST and bilirubin levels. Significant (P< 0.01) improvement in TP and MDA was observed. Chromatographic fractionation and purification of dichloromethane and n-butanol extracts led to the isolation of 11 compounds identified as benzyl 1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), benzyl 6-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl β-D-glucopyranoside (2), linalyl β- D- glycopyranoside (3), linalyl 6-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl -β-D-glucopyranoside (4), 2E-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienoate-6-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-β-D-glucopyranosid (5), 1-O-[6-O-α-L arabinopyranosyl β-D-glucopyranoside] – (2E, 6E-)- farnesol (6), creoside (7), rodiooctanoside (8), 2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydrosqualene (9), luteolin (10) and ethyl fructose (11). It is noteworthy that, compounds 6 and 9 are reported here for the first time from a natural source.