Sub-chronic toxicity studies of the Aqueous Leaf Extract of Rauvolfia Vomitoria (Afzel)

Abstract

The cumulative effects of the aqueous leaf extracts of Rauvolfia vomitoria on body tissues was studied. Six groups of male rats consisting of 5 rats per group were given doses of the leaf extract ranging from 0.03g kg-1-1.2g kg-1 to drink at will from their drinking bottles for 42 days. During the period of the study, weights of the animals were monitored weekly with their gross appearances. At the end of the 42nd day, the rats were killed by cervical dislocation. Post-mortem of each of the animals was performed. The liver, kidney, stomach, heart and lungs were excised. The organs from the groups given plant extract were compared with those of the controls. Body weight of both the treated and the control animals rose progressively as the period increased. The pathological features like oedema and hypertrophy noticed in the tissues are considered to be of no serious consequence as they disappeared after cessation of therapy. There abnormalities may possibly not develop with R. vomitoria used for a short period. It is therefore, considered to be non-hazardous..

Keywords: Rauvolfia vomitoria,toxicity, organs, histopathological studies

Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Science Vol. 6 (1) 2007: pp. 18-20