Acute and Sub-Acute Oral Toxicity Studies of an Aqueous Extract of Chrysanthellum americanum (L.) Vatke (Asteraceae) in Rodents
Nguezeye Yvette *
Centre for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, P.O. Box 13033, Yaounde, Cameroon and Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoudere, Cameroon.
Amina Mamat
Centre for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, P.O. Box 13033, Yaounde, Cameroon and Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoudere, Cameroon.
Sabine Adeline Fanta Yadang
Centre for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, P.O. Box 13033, Yaounde, Cameroon and Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoudere, Cameroon.
Ngaibi Joseph
Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box: 67, Dschang, Cameroon.
Bigued
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Maroua, P.O. Box: 814, Maroua, Cameroon.
Protus Arrey Tarkang
Centre for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, P.O. Box 13033, Yaounde, Cameroon.
Gabriel Agbor Agbor
Centre for Research on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, P.O. Box 13033, Yaounde, Cameroon.
Sotoing Taiwe Germain
Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, Cameroon.
Ngo Bum Elisabeth
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 454, Ngaoudere, Cameroon.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Chrysanthellum americanum is a medicinal plant widely used in the North region of Cameroon for the treatment of epilepsy and convulsion. This study aimed to investigate the acute and subacute toxicity of the aqueous extract of C. americanum using experimental rodent models. For the acute toxicity test, a single dose of 27.69, 69.22, 138.45, 276.9 and 5000 mg/kg of extract was administered orally to mice. In the subacute study, the extract was administered orally to rats at the doses of 100, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day for 28 days; and finally, biochemical, haematological, and histological analysis were performed. The highest dose of the aqueous extract (5000 mg/kg) administered orally in the acute toxicity did not induce mortality. However, at the dose of 1000 mg/kg in the sub-acute treatment, an increase in white blood cell and platelet levels were observed in the haematological parameters. A slight decrease in the cholesterol and hepatic enzyme (ALAT, ASAT) levels for the biochemical parameters was noticed compared to the control group. From this study, it can be concluded that C. americanum can be considered safe in oral administration at the dose tested since it did not cause lethality or undesirable effects in the general behaviour.
Keywords: Chrysanthellum americanum, acute toxicity, sub-acute toxicity, aqueous extract