AQUEOUS ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF ACALYPHA INFERNO LEAVES IS SAFE IN ANIMALS
AbstractAcalypha inferno (AI) is a well-known ornamental plant, presently with no known documentation concerning its therapeutic use and safety profile. However, other plants of the same genus, Acalypha, have been reported to have various uses ranging from food to medicine with their related adverse effects. This study therefore focused on the acute and subchronic toxicity effects of aqueous ethanolic leaf extract of Acalypha inferno leaves (AIE) in animals. The acute toxicity study was performed using the fixed dose method. In the subchronic assessment, both male and female rats were separately administered with AIE at doses of 100 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg twice daily for 28 days. Change in body weight, relative organ weight, haematological parameters and biochemical parameters were recorded and analysed. In the acute toxicity study, no deleterious effect was observed up to 5000 mg/kg, hence the LD50≥5000 mg/kg. In the subchronic toxicity study, significant increase in weight was observed at all doses in male rats whilst a significant decrease was observed only at 500 mg/kg in female rats. A significant increase in weight of uterus was also observed at 100 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg. Decreased levels of ALT, AST, creatinine, WBC and P-LCR were observed, whereas increasing levels of FBG, platelet count and total bilirubin were observed in male rats at high doses. AIE produced no significant adverse effects and could therefore be considered safe with controlled use.
Article Information
15
2273-2280
521
1061
English
IJPSR
C. Larbie *, H. N. Nyarko, J. J. Tofah and D. Torkornoo
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.
clarbie.cos@knust.edu.gh
25 August, 2017
24 December, 2017
30 December, 2017
10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.9(6).2273-80
01 June, 2018