European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND TOXICITY EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT EXTRACTS OF TERMINALIA BELLERICA

S. Elavarasi*, Horne Iona Averal and Cybil Ignatius

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to test the acute toxic effect of the fruit extract of Terminalia bellerica using three different solvents viz ethanol, acetone and benzene by examine the changes in behaviour, body weight, food intake, water intake, haematological parameters (WBC total count, WBC differential count, RBC, Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC and platelet count) and histological changes in the vital organs such as lungs, heart, liver and kidney. No behavioural changes or any toxic symptoms and mortality was observed throughout the experimental period. There is a slight variations in the body weight, food intake and water intake of the extract treated groups compared to control group rats. The haematological parameters showed significant difference among the different extract treated rats and control rats, but the levels are not exceeded from the normal range. The microscopic and macroscopic examination of the vital organs such as lungs, heart, liver and kidney showed normal cell structures, blood vessels and nuclei. Thus the present study revealed that the ethanol, acetone and benzene extracts of Terminalia bellerica fruit did not produce any toxic effects at the high dose of 2000mg/kg body weight and is found to be safe. Thus it is concluded that the plant extract of Terminalia bellerica fruit upto 2000 mg/kg body weight was used for further evaluation studies.

Keywords: Terminalia bellerica, Toxic effect, Albino rats, Body weight, Food and water intake, Haematology, Histology.