Acute and subacute toxicity studies of Lygodium flexuosum extracts in rats

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the acute and subacute toxicity of Lygodium flexuosum (L. flexuosum) extracts to substantiate the tribal or folk claims for its use as a safe hepatoprotective drug. MethodsThe water, ethanol and n-hexane extracts of L. flexuosum were tested in vivo in Wistar rats. In acute toxicity model, rats received a single dose (5 g/kg) of water extract, ethanol extract, and n-hexane extract of L. flexuosum and kept under observation for 14 d. In subacute toxicity studies, animals were treated with daily doses (1 g/kg body weight) of water, ethanol and n-hexane extract respectively for 30 d. ResultsIn acute toxicity, the extracts administration up to a higher dose of 5 g/kg did not result in mortality or any change in behavior and biochemical parameters of the animals. Sub acute toxicity studies in rats showed that treatment with the extracts did not alter the serum biochemical and hematological parameters. ConclusionsThe extracts were found to be devoid of any toxicity in acute (5 g/kg) and subacute (1 g/kg) toxicity evaluation in rats.