Acute and Subacute Toxicity Studies of the Aqueous Extract from Haloxylon scoparium Pomel (Hammada scoparia (Pomel)) by Oral Administration in Rodents.

Loubna Kharchoufa,Asmae Amirou,Soufiane El Assri,Mohammed Choukri,Amal Yamani,Mostafa Elachouri,Hassane Mekhfi,Noureddine Bencheikh,Mohamed Bouhrim,Mauro S Oliveira

doi:10.1155/2020/4020647

Abstract

Materials and Methods Acute toxicity test was performed on Swiss albino mice at a single oral dose of 1-10 g/kg for 14 consecutive days. General behavioral adverse effects, mortality, and latency of mortality were determined. In the subacute study, the Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract was administered orally at doses of 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg daily for 30 days to Wistar rats. Body weight and selected biochemical and hematological parameters were determined at the end of the experiment. Sections of livers and kidneys were removed for histological studies. Results Acute toxicity study showed that the oral LD50 value of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract was 5000 mg/kg. The subacute toxicity study of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract at doses 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg did not produce any observable symptoms of toxicity and no significant variation in body weight, organ weights, food, and water consumption or mortality in all treated rats. However, the administration of the Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract to rats at 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg showed a significant decrease in platelets. Moreover, only at the highest dose (2000 mg/kg), the extract caused a significant increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin. Our results showed that subacute treatments with Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract at doses of 1000 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg significantly elevated alkaline phosphatase and triglycerides. Histological studies showed that the subacute treatments of rats with Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extracts, at the doses 1000 and 2000 mg/kg, induced some histopathological changes in the livers but a slight changing in kidneys. Conclusion Our results indicated low acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel. Furthermore, daily oral administration of Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extract caused some damages to the livers of rats treated with high doses, expressed by an increase in some enzyme activities such as ALP. Regarding the renal function, we did not find remarkable toxicity in the subacute treatment with Haloxylon scoparium Pomel extracts at doses 1000 and 2000 mg/kg. However, further toxicity assessments should be done to ascertain the safety or the toxicity of this valuable plant species “Haloxylon scoparium pomel” in subchronic treatments.

Highlights

IntroductionHerbs were widely used as the main treatment strategy for treating diseases [1]
Since ancient times, herbs were widely used as the main treatment strategy for treating diseases [1]
Previous reports issuing from the Moroccan Poison Center “MPC,” indicated that herbs are the cause of 3–5% of all reported intoxications, of which 17% were associated with fatal events [10]

Summary

Introduction

Herbs were widely used as the main treatment strategy for treating diseases [1] This botanical medicine is increasingly becoming popular throughout the world, especially in developing countries, where medicinal plants are available, accessible, and are at the reach of the poor people. In Moroccan society, based on their long history of uses, medicinal plants are usually regarded as safe or of low toxicity [3,4,5,6]. In this country, users believe that medicinal plants have fewer side effects than synthetic drugs. The importance of such investigation is needed to ascertain the safety profile of valuable plant species commonly used traditionally by Moroccan society

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Methods

Discussion

Conclusion