Toxicity profile of Asparagus africanus root ethanolic extract in albino rats

Abstract

In traditional medicine, Asparagus africanus is a plant with medicinal properties used for the treatment of numerous ailments. The toxicity profile of Asparagus africanus root ethanolic extract was determined in this study using animal model (Albino rats). Asparagus africanus extract was administered orally to Albino rats once in acute toxicity study and daily for twenty-eight days in sub-chronic toxicity study. Animals in the control group were administered distilled water (5 ml/kg) and in the treatment groups, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the plant extract was administered to the animals. In the acute toxicity study, the median lethal dose of the plant extract was determined whereas in the sub-chronic toxicity study, the effect of extract on body weight, biochemical (serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, creatinine, cholesterol and triglyceride) and haematological (red blood cells, hematocrit and white blood cells) parameters were investigated. The results of these study showed that Asparagus africanus root ethanolic extract caused no death of animals in the acute toxicity studies and the median lethal dose of the extract was greater than or equal to 5000 mg/kg. In the twenty-eight days study (sub-chronic toxicity study), there was an increase (significant at p< 0.05) in the level of red blood cells and no change in the concentration of biochemical parameters in the treated groups when compared with the untreated group. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that Asparagus africanus root ethanolic extract at the doses orally administered caused no adverse effects in Albino rats.