Antimicrobial evaluation, acute and subchronic toxicity studies of Leone Bitters, a Nigerian polyherbal formulation, in rodents

摘要

This study evaluated acute and sub-chronic toxicities in rodents and microbial purity of apolyherbal preparation, Leon Bitters, prepared with Gongronema latifolia (climbing stem), Cocosnucifera (coconut) roots and Parinari curatellifolia seeds. Microbial purity was evaluated on somebacterial and fungal organisms using appropriate diagnostic media. Toxicity of the polyherbalpreparation was evaluated in Swiss albino mice by administering to the animals oral gradeddoses of the lyophilized drug in the ranges of 1.0 g/kg to 20.0 g/kg body weight and observedcontinuously for the first 4h and hourly for the next 12 h, then 6 hourly for 56 h (72 h, acutetoxicity). Wistar rats were also fed with different doses of the lyophilized drug for 30 days and theeffects of the drug on some tissues - heart, liver, kidney and testes - were microscopicallyexamined. Also the effects on the biochemical and haematological parameters were evaluated(sub-chronic toxicity model). No zone of inhibition was observed on either the bacterial culturemedia or the fungal culture media. The median acute toxicity value (LD50) of the polyherbalmedicine was determined to be 7.2 g/kg body weight. No significant increase in the body weightwas observed in the groups treated with the drug compared to the control. There was significantincrease (p≤ 0.05) in creatinine level while aspartate aminotransferases (AST) and alanineaminotransferases (ALT) showed no appreciable increase. The drug significantly reduced(p≤0.05) triglyceride (TG) level while low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol level was notaltered, but led to increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL)–cholesterol in the treated groupscompared to the control. There was no significant change in the mean corpuscular haemoglobin(MCH), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration(MCHC) in all the treated animals compared to the control. The study showed that the drugexhibited hypolipidemic activity and good reducing effects on cardiovascular factors. However, along term use may be harmful to the testes, a male reproductive organ.