Evaluation of Acute and Subacute Toxicity of Fruit Methanolic Extract from Citrullus colocynthis in male Albino rats

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effects of acute and subacute administration of the methanolic fruit extract of Citrullus colocynthis (CCT) in male Albino Wistar rats. The acute toxicity study was undertaken firstly to determine the acute median lethal dose (LD50) of the fruit extract. Then, the second step aimed to evaluate its toxic effects when administered at single daily oral dose 440mg/kg (1/3 of the LD50) after one, three, five, seven, ten and fourteen days on liver function indices (AST, ALT, ALP, total proteins), kidney function parameters (uric acid, urea and creatinine), haematological parameters and electrolyte concentrations (Na+, K+, P-, Ca+2) using standard methods. The sub-chronic toxicity was undertaken to evaluate the toxic effects of the same extract and the target organs after its oral administration for six weeks (265 mg/kg) to male rats. The median lethal dose (LD50) of the extract was found to be 1311.45 mg/kg. After acute oral administration of the methanolic extract a dose of 440mg/kg (1/3 of the LD50), there were remarked a loss in body weight and a significant reduction in the relative weights of liver, kidney, lungs, spleen and testis of treated rats. The RBC, WBC count, HCT and HGB concentration were also significantly lower in treated groups than control one. The liver enzymes ALT and AST activities were higher for the main treated groups and significantly elevated in the group sacrificed after three days of the treatment. The ALP has enregistered a significant elevation for the majority of the tested groups. The analysis of kidney function parameters revealed a significantly high creatinine levels for all treatment group (exceptely for the group sacrificed after 14 days), a significant increase in urea level for the group sacrificed after three days of treatment with no remarkable changes in uric acid concentrations. Electrolyte concentrations (Na+, K+, Ca+2) were not significantly affected by CCT alcoholic extract, but the levels of PO4- have shown a significant reduction for the main treatment groups. Histo-pathological examination revealed a discreetly congestion in hepatic and renal parenchyma in groups sacrificed after one and five days of treatment. The present study showed that the intake of extract of ripe Citrullus colocynthisfruit induced a characteristic signs of poisoning: diarrhea, ruffled hair, loss in organ weight and feed intake. The effects on the functions of the liver, kidney and bone marrow in rats resulted in alterations in serum AST, ALT and ALP activities, in the levels of total proteins, urea, uric acid, creatinine and electrolytes as well as in organ lesions.