European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

SUBACUTE TOXICITY STUDY OF THE AQUEOUS LEAVES EXTRACT OF MACARANGA BARTERI ON BIOCHEMICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN RATS

Ehilé Ehilé Hervé*, Oussou N’ Guessan Jean-Baptiste, Kouakou Kouakou Léandre, Yapo Angoué Paul and Ehilé Ehouan Etienne

ABSTRACT

Macaranga barteri is commonly used in the treatment of many illnesses such as gastric ulcer. In order to verify its safety, a study was implemented with an aqueous extract of M. barteri leaves (AEMb) in rats. Seventy rats were distributed in seven groups of ten rats each of both sexes. The control group received orally 1 ml/100 g distilled water for 28 days while test groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were repeatedly administered with AEMb per os at the doses of 125, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg b.w. respectively. Groups 6 and 7 (satellites groups) were daily gavaged with distilled water (1 ml/100 g) and AEMb (1000 mg/kg b.w.) for 28 days. At the end of the experiment, the rats blood samples were collected for serum biochemical parameters determination. In addition, samples of liver, heart and kidney were analyzed in order to evaluate possible side effects of the extract. The results showed that the doses of AEMb induced no significant variation of thes parameters. However, significant increases in serum chlorine and urea were observed in the rats treated with 1000 mg/kg b.w of AEMb. The histological analyses of the organs did not reveal any abnormalities. Moreover, the extract did not cause any delayed toxicity. The toxic effects previously observed in kidney disappeared two weeks after the end of the treatment. These results indicated that AEMb is safe. However, the administation of AEMb at 1000 mg/kg b.w. could impair the renal function in rats with reversible effects.

Keywords: biochemical parameters, histology, Macaranga barteri, rat, subacute toxicity.