Toxicological study of the butanol fractionated root extract of Asparagus africanus Lam., on some blood parameter and histopathology of liver and kidney in mice.

Sintayehu Kebede,Wondwossen Ergete,Eyasu Makonnen,Mekbeb Afework,Asfaw Debella

doi:10.1186/s13104-016-1861-5

Sintayehu Kebede, Wondwossen Ergete + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-016-1861-5

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Abstract

BackgroundThe butanol fractionated root extract of Asparagus africanus Lam., a traditional herb widely used to treat various ailments were analyzed for the presence of potential toxicity after single (acute) and repeated (subchronic) dose oral administration in adult swiss albino mice using gavages.MethodsFor the acute study, butanol fractionated extract of the plant was administered in single doses of 1000, 3000 and 5000 mg/kg body weight. In the sub-chronic dose study, the extract was administered at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight/day for 42 days. Selected hematological and biochemical parameters of the blood followed by histopathological analysis were investigated after 42 days of daily administrations. The results were expressed as M ± SE, and differences at P < 0.05 was considered significant. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and least significant difference tests were employed to check the significant differences between the various parameters of the experimental groups.ResultsIn the acute study, the extract did not caused dose-dependent general behavioral adverse effects, body weight change and mortality. The single dose toxicity studies therefore showed that the butanol fraction of the extract has high safety profile when given orally. After 42 days of daily dosing, in the sub-chronic study, no clinically significant changes were observed for hematological and biochemical parameters. Except an occasional small number of focal mononuclear lymphocytic cells infiltrations around the central and portal triad of the liver of a few mice, the histopathological parameters do not show significant change.ConclusionIt is concluded that, the butanol fractionated extract from A. africanus at the given dose does not show significant toxicity. The presence of focal inflammation on the liver of a few mice may be associated to the presence of flavonoid glycoside in the butanol fractionated extract.

Highlights

The butanol fractionated root extract of Asparagus africanus Lam., a traditional herb widely used to treat various ailments were analyzed for the presence of potential toxicity after single and repeated dose oral administration in adult swiss albino mice using gavages
Effect of single dose treatment of the butanol fractionated extract of Asparagus africanus Following a single treatment with fractionated extract of A. africanus at doses of 1000, 3000 and 5000 mg/kg body weight, no signs and symptoms of toxicity on behavior nor death were observed throughout the 14 days of the study period
A non-significant increase in white blood cell (WBC) in both groups, decrease in platelet count in mice treated with 600 mg/kg and increase in mice treated with 300 mg/kg were seen as compared to the control

Summary

Introduction

The butanol fractionated root extract of Asparagus africanus Lam., a traditional herb widely used to treat various ailments were analyzed for the presence of potential toxicity after single (acute) and repeated (subchronic) dose oral administration in adult swiss albino mice using gavages. The plant belongs to family Asparagaceae which includes 300 species in the genus Asparagus, widely distributed throughout Africa. Butanol fractionated extract of A. africanus showed the highest inhibition (85.94 %) of P. berghei parasitaemia in the swiss albino mice [10]. In spite of such widespread use of the plant, its safety based on their effective dose is not yet known

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