Sub-chronic toxicity study of the methanol root extract of Cnestis ferruginea

Abstract

Context: Cnestis ferruginea (CF) Vahl ex DC (Connaraceae) is a shrub abundant in West Africa. Root preparations are used in traditional medicine to treat diverse conditions.

Objective: To evaluate the sub-chronic toxicological effects of the methanol root extract of CF.

Materials and methods: Groups of adult rats of both sexes were treated daily with distilled water (DW) and CF at doses of 80 (sub-therapeutic dose), 400 (therapeutic dose), and 1000 (supra-therapeutic dose) mg/kg orally for 90 days. Animals were weighed weekly and observed for behavioral and morphological changes. At the end, rats were sacrificed and blood samples collected for hematological and biochemical analysis. Vital organs were harvested, weighed, and assessed for in vivo antioxidants and histopathological changes. Sperm analysis and reversibility study were done, and mortality was recorded.

Results: CF at the therapeutic dose did not produce any significant irreversible deleterious effects on the weight of animals and vital organs, in vivo antioxidants, histopathological presentation, hematological, biochemical, and sperm parameters. Platelet anomaly was elicited as a delayed effect. Effects at the sub- and supra-therapeutic doses were similar but with delayed anemia in females and weight reduction and sterility in males as possible side effects. CF generally showed a potential to induce in vivo antioxidants.

Discussion and conclusion: Findings suggest that CF given over an extended period possess the potential to cause induction of in vivo antioxidants especially in the ovary. Possible side effects identified with CF, which necessitate caution, include delayed platelet anomaly and anemia in females, weight reduction, and sterility in males.

Keywords::

• Therapeutic dose
• traditional medicine
• side effects
• sub-chronic toxicological effects

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Mr. Micah Chijioke (Department of Pharmacology), Mr. Duncan Ota, Mr. Simon Dike (Department of Physiology), Mr. Sunday O. Adenekan (Department of Biochemistry), and Dr. Daniel Ike Awelimobor (Department of Morbid Anatomy), all of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, for the technical assistance given in the course of this research work. For this reason also, the authors express there appreciation to Mr. Anthony A. Ani of the AIDS Prevention Initiative Nigeria (APIN) Laboratory, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, Nigeria.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.