Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Subchronic toxicity study of ethanolic extract of Uvaria chamae root in rats

Fidelis E Olumese¹ , Iyere O Onoagbe², Gerald I Eze³, Felix O Omoruyi⁴

¹Department of Medical Biochemistry; ²Department of Biochemistry; ³Department of Anatomy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria; ⁴Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas, USA.

For correspondence:- Fidelis Olumese Email: fidelisolumese@yahoo.com

Accepted: 3 September 2017 Published: 28 May 2018

Citation: Olumese FE, Onoagbe IO, Eze GI, Omoruyi FO. Subchronic toxicity study of ethanolic extract of Uvaria chamae root in rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2018; 17(5):831-836 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v17i5.12

© 2018 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To assess the safety of ethanol extract of Uvaria chamae root consumption for the treatment of diseases in traditional medicine.

Methods: Uvaria chamae was extracted with ethanol, and administered orally to rats at doses ranging from 200 to 5000 mg/kg/day for 28 days while distilled water was administered to the control group, the survived animals (43 %), were then euthanized, and blood collected for biochemical and haematological markers. Histopathological examination of the pancreas, liver and kidney sections were also done.

Results: There was a significant (p < 0.05) elevation in serum AST and a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in LDH at 500 mg and 200 mg respectively. Serum BUN was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced, while chloride and potassium ions were significantly (p < 0.05) elevated at 200 and 500 mg respectively. However, there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCHC) at 200 mg, and a significant (p < 0.05) increase in platelets at 500 mg/kg of extract. Examination of haematoxylin and eosin stained sections of pancreas showed well-formed islets; mild portal vascular congestion in liver sections; and periportal and interstitial infiltrates of lymphocytes in the liver and kidney sections of the surviving animals respectively.

Conclusion: The consumption of extract at low doses may not be harmful.

Keywords: Uvaria chamae, Safety, Kidney, Liver, Pancreas, Toxicity