STUDY OF ACUTE AND SUB-ACUTE TOXICITY OF Boehmeria virgata (FORST) GUILL LEAF EXTRACT IN WISTAR RATS

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the acute and sub-acute toxicity of the standardized Boehmeria virgata leaf extract (BLVE) in Wistar rats. B. virgata is a traditional herb utilized by the people of Makassar, Indonesia to cure inflammation and cancer. In the current study, thirty (30) Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups (3 groups of males and 3 groups of females) for acute treatments. Similarly, for investigating sub-acute treatment forty (40) Wistar rats were split into 8 groups (4 groups of males and 4 groups of females). For acute toxicity treatment, selected rats received 2000 mg and 5000 mg/kg of BVLE by oral administration for 14 days while for the estimation of sub-acute toxicity, experimental rats were treated with 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg BVLE for 28 days. After 14 days of treatment, the rats were monitored for any form of changes in behavior, weight, food, water intake, and histopathology. The treated animals underwent hematological, biochemical, histopathological, and organ weight analysis after 28 days. Results of the study revealed no significant differences in body and organ weight, intake of food, and water after acute BVLE treatment in rats compared with those in the control group. The histopathological study suggested a general hydropic degeneration of the liver after acute treatment with 5000 mg/kg; such degeneration did not occur in the kidneys and kidney glomerulus of BVLE treated rats. Further, no significant toxicity was shown in hematological, biochemical, organ weight, and histopathological data in the sub-acute BVLE group after comparing treated rats with the control group. Results of the study can be concluded that BVLE is not toxic at doses of up to 1000 mg/kg. Therefore B. virgate fulfilled a preclinical criterion that is necessary for its further establishment as a clinically useful extract.