SAFETY EVALUATION OF THE AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF Lecaniodiscus cupanioides ROOTS IN MALE WISTAR RATS

Abstract

The benefits of herbal medicine are enormous but so are its adverse effects too. The present study was aimed at the evaluation of the toxicological impact of Lecaniodiscus cupanioides root on hematological, biochemical and histoarchitectural indices of treated rats. Twenty

male Wistar rats were completely randomized into four groups (A, B, C and D) of five animals each such that the animals in group A (Control) received 0.5 ml of distilled water orally while those in groups B, C and D received equal volume (0.5 ml) of the aqueous extract of L.

cupanioides root corresponding to 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight respectively for 7 days. The rats were sacrificed to obtain the serum and tissue homogenate used for analysis. Administration of the aqueous extract of L. cupanioides roots significantly (p < 0.05) increased the concentrations of plasma erythrocytes, leucocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, urea and creatinine while there was a significant (p < 0.05) and dose related decrease in platelet, lymphocyte, total and urine bilirubin concentrations. There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in the concentrations of plasma hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, direct bilirubin, total protein, albumin and globulin. The activities of ALP, ALT, AST, GPx, Gre were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased while the activities of CAT, SOD and G6PDHsignificantly (p < 0.05) increased. The aqueous extract of Lecaniodiscus cupanioides root caused structural and functional toxicity hence, it is not safe for consumption.