Toxicology International (Formerly Indian Journal of Toxicology)

Bishnupada Roy ¹, Dondor Pathaw ¹, Armanki Shylla ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Zoology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong – 793022, Meghalaya, IN

Abstract

The medicinal properties of Carex baccans Nees. (Cyperaceae) has widely been exploited in traditional healing practices for the treatment of various ailments. Though, this is a widely used herb, not much is known about the adverse implications it may have. Therefore to shed some light into this aspect, acute and sub-acute toxicity study of the plant’s crude extract and fractions were carried out in Swiss albino mice following Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 423 and 407 guidelines respectively. Additionally, the phytochemical composition of the crude extract was also determined. Effect of the extract and the fraction was analyzed taking into consideration the body weight, organs weight, blood physiology, key markers of liver and kidney functions, and microscopic analysis of liver, kidney and intestine structural composition using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the crude extract exert no observable signs of acute toxicity even at a dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight of mice, however, the butanol fraction proved to be toxic with a mean lethal dose of 4677.35 ± 103.38 mg/kg. Repeated oral sub-acute test of the mice with crude extract and fraction of the crude extract was also found to exert adverse effects on the animals at high doses (500 mg/kg body weight and above) when compared to control group. These adverse implications were manifested in the body weight, hematology, biochemistry, and the structural and ultrastructural composition of some important organs. Therefore, it may be concluded that the plant C. baccans, if taken in its crude native form has a high safety.

Keywords

Biochemistry, Carex baccans Nees, Hematology, Toxicity, Ultrastructure

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Armanki Shylla ¹, Dondor Pathaw ¹, Bishnupada Roy ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Zoology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong – 793022, Meghalaya,, IN

Abstract

Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. is widely used in traditional plant-based medical practices in India, with different parts of this plant used to treat a variety of ailments. Though this has been a time-tested practice, the side effects and other implications that the plant may have should not be overlooked. This study evaluated the toxicity of the methanolic fruit extract of Z. acanthopodium in Swiss albino mice by conducting acute and sub-acute toxicity tests using hematological, biochemical, ultrastructural analysis, sperm abnormality, and genotoxicity as parameters. For the acute toxicity test, mice were treated with a single dose of 5000 mg extract/kg bw of mice. While for sub-acute toxicity test, doses of 200, 500, and 1000 mg of the extract/kg bw were administered to the mice. Furthermore, a satellite group of the respective control group and the highest dose group were employed to observe the post-treatment effect that the plant may have. The acute toxicity test resulted in a significant reduction of the mean body weight gain in treated mice, but, no signs of morbidity and mortality were recorded. Sub-acute toxicity test revealed a negative effect of the plant extract on the blood and biochemical parameters. Light and electron microscopic examination of the liver and kidney showed the damaging effects of the extract on the tissues and the cellular structures. In addition, the extract induced sperm abnormalities with a significant reduction of sperm count and sperm viability, and caused an increase in the percentage of abnormally shaped sperms. The extract treatment also resulted in an increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations as well as cell death.

Keywords

Apoptosis, Biochemistry, Chromosomal Aberrations, Hematology, Sperm Abnormality, Ultrastructure, Zanthoxylum acanthopodium.

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