Toxicological investigation of Spondias pinnata (Linn. F.) Kurz. (Family: Anacardiaceae) bark extract in Wistar rats

Abstract

Context: Spondias pinnata (Linn. F.) Kurz. (Family: Anacardiaceae) is widely used in Sri Lankan traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Aims: The aim was to investigate acute and subchronic toxicity of the aqueous bark extract of S. pinnata in healthy male Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Wistar rats were administered the S. pinnata bark extract (0.25–2.00 g/kg) and observed for 14 days. Subchronic dose toxicity was evaluated by daily administration of the plant extract (1.00 g/kg; optimum effective antihyperglycaemic dose in diabetic rats) to healthy Wistar rats for 30 days. Results: The extract neither produced significant changes in the consumption of food and intake of water nor affected biochemical parameters (serum lipid profile and activities of liver enzymes), hematological parameters (full blood count) and histopathology in healthy rats (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The results revealed
that S. pinnata extract at a dose of 1.00 g/kg was found to be toxicologically safe as a potent antihyperglycemic agent in Wistar rats.
Key words: Acute toxicity, biochemical assessment, haematological assessment, organ histopathology, repeated dose toxicity