Toxicological Assessment of Aqueous and Methanol Leaves Extracts of Scoparia dulcis Linn (Plantaginaceae) in Wistar Rats

Abstract

Article history:The leaf and whole part of Scoparia dulcis L. have been used in the management of different disorders in Nigeria and other parts of the world without documented scientific evidences of its safety to man. Hence, the current study was performed to assess the acute and sub-chronic toxicity of the aqueous and methanol leaves extracts of Scoparia dulcis in Wistar rats. The acute toxicity was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, doses of 10, 100 and 1000 mg/kg body weight of the extracts were administered orally. In the second phase, 1600, 2900 and 5000 mg/kg body weight of the extracts were administered, signs and symptoms of toxicity were monitored for 24 hours. Sub-chronic toxicity studies were carried out on Wistar rats for both extracts; haematological, biochemical and histopathological analyses after 28 days oral administration of the extracts at 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg body weight were conducted. The acute toxicity of all extracts was found to be greater than 5000 mg/kg which is practically nontoxic according to standard scale of toxicity. In sub-chronic test, there was significant difference (p<0.05) in the Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) at 500 and 1000 mg/kg of aqueous extract and blood urea at 1000 mg/kg of methanol extract when compared to the control. The kidney and Liver of aqueous extract showed better physiological features when compared to that of the methanol extract. It could be concluded that prolonged oral administration of Scoparia dulcis leaf may be associated with increased risk of toxicity.

Acute Toxicological Evaluations of the Methanol Leaf Extract of Justicia flava (Vahl) Acanthaceae in Mouse Models

“…The haemopoietin system is a sensitive target of compounds with toxic actions and it alsoprovides an important barometer for assessing the pathological and physiological consequences of toxicant exposure. 11,22 On administration of the extract, there were no significant differences in the red blood cell (RBC) indices in both the 24 h and 14 d study groups suggesting that MJF does not significantly alter the morphology, erythropoiesis, or osmotic fragility of RBCs. 23 The white blood cells (WBCs) respond to tissue injury, infectious agents, or any inflammation and are usually the first line of cellular defence as well as being some of the biomarkers of inflammation.…”