Abstract In the present study we investigated the hepatoprotective effect of the water extract of Viburnum lantana L. (VL) leaves on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats, hypoglycemic activity and lethal doses ofthe same extract in mice. Biochemical parameters of hepatic damage such as serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin concentrations were determined. CCl4 (0.8 mLfkg i.p. for 7 days) treatment increased the serum AST, ALT, ALP and bilirubin levels significantly as compared to controls. Treatment ofanimals with silibinin (50 mg/kg) + CCl4 (0.8 mLfkg i.p.) or VL (100 mgfkg, i.p.) + CCl4 (0.8 mL/kg i.p.) for 7 days significantly ameliorated the levels of AST, ALT and ALP elevated by the CCl4 treatment alone. The results of biochemical tests were also confirmed by histopathological examination. The livers of the group treated with VL showed less balooning degeneration and apoptosis. Necrosis had not been observed in VL group. These results suggest that, liver damage occured in VL-treated group is less than the damage occured in silibinin-treated group. To evaluate of hypoglicemic activity of VL, glibenclamide was used as the reference agent. But, VL has not hypoglycemic activity in healthy and diabetic mice. Özet Bu çalismada Viburnum lantana L. (VL) yapraklarinin sulu ekstresinin, siçanlarda karbon tetraklorür (CCl4) nedenli hepatotoksisite üzerine hepatoprotektif etkisi, farelerde letal dozu ve hipoglisemik aktivitesi arastirilmistir. Serum aspartat amino transferaz (AST), alanin amino transferaz (ALT), alkalinfosfataz (ALP) ve bilirubin konsantrasyonu gibi karaciger hasarinin biyokimyasal parametrelerine bakilmistir. CCl4 (0.8 mLfkg i.p., 7 gün) grubunda serum AST, ALT, ALP ve bilirubin seviyelerinin kontrol grubuyla kiyaslandiginda anlamli seviyede arttigi görülmüstür. Siçanlara silibinin (50 mg/kg)+CCl4 (0.8 mL/kg i.p.) ve VL (100 mg/kg, i.p.) + CCl4 (0.8 mL/kg i.p.) 7 gün boyunca uygulandiginda, tek basina CCl4 uygulandigindaki yükselen serum AST, ALT ve ALP seviyeleri anlamli bir sekilde düsmüstür. Biyokimyasal testlerin sonuçlari histopatolojik incelemelerle de dogrulanmistir. VL uygulanan grubun karacigerlerinde daha az balon dejenerasyonu ve apoptozis görülmüstür. Bu grupta da nekroz gözlenmemistir. Bu sonuçlar VL uygulanan gruptaki karaciger hasarinin silibinin uygulanan grupta gözlenen hasardan daha az oldugunu göstermektedir. VL’nin hipoglisemik aktivitesini degerlendirmek için glibenklamid referans madde olarak kullanilmistir. Fakat VL, saglikli ve diyabetik farelerde hipoglisemik aktivite göstermemistir.

Keywords: Viburnum lantana, hepatoprotective activity, hypoglycemic activity, median lethal dose