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Research Article

In vivo assessment of acute and subacute toxicity of ethyl acetate extract from aerial parts of Geum urbanum L

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Pages 61-73 | Received 01 Oct 2020, Accepted 06 Nov 2020, Published online: 15 Dec 2020
 

Abstract

Geum urbanum L. is a medicinal plant used from ancient time against gastro-intestinal disorders, bleeding and inflammation of mucous membranes, gums (gingivitis), etc. In our previous works, we demonstrated the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extracts in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of the EtOAc fraction from aerial parts to provoke acute and subacute toxicity by its internal daily administration (per os) in healthy H- albino male and female mice. We used three concentrations of treatment according to their biological activity potential of application − 20, 70 and 210 mg/kg. All animals were observed and recorded periodically for clinical signs, mortality and changes in their behavior (incl. hypo-activity, aggression, etc.). The body weight was measured at every 5 days up to the end of the experiment (a total 28 days). We studied the biochemical parameters (superoxide anion radical, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation and damaged proteins in blood plasma and brain) and complete hematological parameters, and the histopathological findings in mouse spleens and Payer’s patches. The investigated extract did not show any signs of significant acute and subacute toxicity at the highest applied test-concentration, and therefore, we encouraged its possible application as food additive for various infectious diseases.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests and personal relationships that could have appeared to effect negative the present study in this paper. No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by Grant 17-143/01.08.2017 of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for Assist. Prof. Lyudmila L. Dimitrova, PhD; Grants No. 80-10-13/09.04.2019 and 80-10-10/18.03.2020 of the Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ for Assist. Prof. Lilia Tserovska, PhD.