Toxico-pathological studies of ethanolic extract of Asparagus racemosus Wild and Terminalia chebula Retz in rats.

摘要

A study was conducted to standardize the dose of immunomodulatory and antioxidant potential herbs viz. Asparagus racemosus (AR) and Terminalia chebula (TC) on rat model. The ethanolic extract of AR roots and TC kernel were provided to different groups of rats @ 250 mg, 500 mg and 1000 mg/kg b. wt, respectively on alternate days for 4 weeks. There was no mortality of rats with any dose of herbal extracts. Significant (P<0.01) increase in body mass was observed in AR 250 mg dose group (115.36%) and TC 250 mg dose group (114.63%) as compared with healthy control (108.74%) whereas, significant (P<0.01) decrease in body mass was noticed in TC 1000 mg dose group (102.51%) rats. No significant alteration of behaviour in respect with spontaneous motor activity and forced locomotor activity was detected. Gross observations of liver and kidney in all doses were normal except the high dose (1000 mg/kg b. wt) of Terminalia chebula extract where there was mild yellowish discolouration of liver. The histopathological observations of rat liver and kidney of Asparagus racemosus 250 mg dose and Terminalia chebula 250 mg groups were apparently normal whereas, the liver and kidney of 500 mg and 1000 mg doses of both herbal extracts showed degenerative changes or pathological alterations. The alterations in Hb, TLC, TEC and DLC and biochemical parameters were within the normal ranges. So, the 250 mg dose of both herbs was safe for further use in rats.