Comparative Toxicity Studies of Rauwolfia vomitoria Leaf and Root Extracts in Wistar rats
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Date
2018
Authors
Ebuehi, O.A.T.
Asoro, Iroghama
Igwo-Ezikpe, Miriam N.
Imaga, Ngozi O.
Erukainure, Ochuko L.
Lawal, Ridwan A.
Adenekan, Sunday
Duncan, Uba
Micah, Chijoke
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BioMedSciDirect Publications
Abstract
Rauwolfia vomitoria Afzel (Apocynaceae) is used in the African traditional medical practice for
the management of various diseases such as cough, malaria and as an anti-psychotic. The
present study investigates the toxicological potential of the administration of the leaf and root
extracts of Rauwolfia vomitoria on the brain, kidney and liver of male Wistar rats. The toxicity
study was carried out by Lorke's method. For the acute study, thirteen groups of 5 rats each
were orally administered 10, 100 and 1000mg/kg of aqueous and ethanol extracts of leaf and
root of R.vomitoria. Mortality was recorded after 24h. For the sub acute, thirteen groups of five
rats each were orally given doses 1600, 2900 and 5000mg aqueous and ethanol extracts of leaf
and root of R.vomitoria. Observation continued for 2weeks after administration to check for
any mortality arising from delayed toxicity. At the end, surviving animals were sacrificed and
pathological changes were observed. There was a dose -dependent increase in the liver
enzymes in the sub chronic and sub acute. Histological studies reveal area of inflammations in
the liver sub acute study. No significant differences were noticed in the concentration of urea,
creatinine and the electrolytes among the various group and control. There were no marked
cellular changes in the kidney tissue. Convulsion was observed in sub acute study among the
animals at high dose of 5000mg of the root extract. The use of the leaf and roof extracts of
Rauwolfia vomitoria is safe to the liver, kidney and brain when used at low doses over a long
time but harmful when used at high doses over a short time.
Description
Keywords
Research Subject Categories::NATURAL SCIENCES::Chemistry::Biochemistry , Rauwolfia vomitoria , leaf and root extracts , toxicity , liver enzymes , rats
Citation
Ebuehi Osaretin A.T., Asoro Iroghama, IgwoEzikpe Miriam N. , Imaga Ngozi O., Erukainure Ochuko L, Lawal Ridwan A., Adenekan Sunday, Duncan Uba and Micah Chijoke. Int J Biol Med Res.2018 ;9(2):6357-6362.