Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of <i>Artemisia afra</i> on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats

Nikodimos Eshetu; Mekbeb Afework; Eyasu Makonnen; Asfaw Debella; Wondwossen Ergete; Tesfaye Tolesssa

doi:doi:10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12

| Peer-Reviewed

Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats

Nikodimos Eshetu, Mekbeb Afework, Eyasu Makonnen, Asfaw Debella, Wondwossen Ergete, Tesfaye Tolesssa

Published in Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering (Volume 4, Issue 1)

Received: 27 May 2016 Accepted: 3 June 2016 Published: 17 June 2016

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Background: Artemisia afra is a plant traditionally used for treatment of different diseases in many parts of the world including Ethiopia. Its effects on different organs, however, have not yet been investigated. The objective of the present study was, therefore, to evaluate the acute and sub-chronic toxic effects of aqueous leaf extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and some Blood parameters in Rats. Methods: For acute toxicity study, aqueous extracts of the leaves were administered in a single dose of 200, 700, 1200, 2200, 3200, 4200 and 5000mg/kg body weight, while the low dose (600mg/kg) and triple of lower dose (1800mg/kg) were used for sub-chronic toxicity studies. Selected hematological and biochemical parameters of the blood followed by histopathological analysis were investigated after 90 days of daily administrations. The results were expressed as M ± SE, and differences at P < 0.05 were considered significant. Differences between the experimental and control groups were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Dunnett’s T-test to determine their level of significance. Results: The current study showed that the median oral lethal dose (LD50) was greater than 5000mg/kg. Acute toxicity study revealed some changes in general behavior of the rats above 3200mg/kg. The levels of blood parameters did not change though AST level decreased significantly in female animals after 90 days of sub-chronic treatment with 1800mg/kg. Histopathological presentations were generally normal though there were mild mononuclear leukocytic infiltrations around the central venules & portal areas of rats’ liver at both 600 and 1800mg/kg dose. Furthermore, minor tubulointerstitial leukocytic infiltrations were observed in small areas of kidney sections treated at higher dose. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Artemisia afra at the test doses did not show significant toxicity: the minor inflammatory changes observed in this study were not accompanied by significant change in any of the hematological and biochemical markers of liver injury. It might be a response to parenchymal cell death with causes ranging from infectious agents, exposure to toxicants, generation of toxic metabolites, and tissue anoxia.

Published in	Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering (Volume 4, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12
Page(s)	1-9
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2016. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Artemisia afra, Traditional Medicine, Toxicological Assessment

References

[1]	Ahmedulla, M. and M. P. Nayer, Red data book of Indian plants. Calcutta: Botanical survey of India, 1999. Vol. 4: p. 14-17.
[2]	Tabuti, J. R. S., K. A. Lye, and S. S. Dhillion, Traditional herbal drugs of Bulamogi, Uganda: plants use and administration. J. Ethno-pharmacology, 200388: p. 19-44.
[3]	Lewington, Medicinal plants and plant extracts:A Review of their Importation into Europe. Cambridge, UK.1993: p. 92.
[4]	Fennell, C. W., et al., Assessing African medicinal plants for efficacy and safety: pharmacological screening and Toxicology. . Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2004. 94(2-3): p. 205-217.
[5]	Miruts, G., et al., An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Zay people in Ethiopia. J. Ethnopharmacol., 2003. 85(1): p. 43-52.
[6]	Pappas, R. and S. Sheppard- Hanger, Artemisia arborescens-essential oil of the Pacific Northwest: a high-chamazulene, low-thujone essential oil with potential skin- care applications. Atlantic institute, Reference manual www.atlanticinstitute.com/artemisia.pdf 2004.
[7]	Abebe, D. Traditional Medicinein Ethiopia:Theattemptsbeing madetopromoteitforeffectiveandbetterutilization.SINET: Ethiopian J., 1986. Sci. 9: p. 61-69.
[8]	Mucciarelli, M. and M. Maffei, Introduction to the genus Artemisia. In Wright CW (ed) Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles, Taylor & Francis, London, 2002(ISBN:04152721212): p. 1-50.
[9]	Mander, M., Marketing of Indigenous Medicinal Plants in South Africa: A Case Study in KwaZulu-Natal. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Rome.1998.
[10]	Cunningham, A., et al., Zulu Medicinal Plants: An inventory. South Africa, University of Natal press. Scottsville, 1996: p. 327.
[11]	Dyson, A., Discovering indigenous healing plants of the herb and fragrance gardens at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Cape Town. National Botanical Institute, the Printing Press, 1998: p. 9-10.
[12]	Iwu M., Hand book of African Medicina lplants. USA, Florida, CRC Press, 1993: p. 121-122.
[13]	Roberts, M., Indigenous healing plants. South Africa. Southern Book, 1990: p. 226-228.
[14]	Harris, L., An evaluation of the bronchodilator properties of Mentha Longifolia and Artemisia afra, traditional medicinal plants used in the Western Cape M. Thesis, Discipline of pharmacology. School of pharmacy, University of the Western Cape. Bellville. 2002.
[15]	MRC and S. Healthinfo, Traditional medicines database: www.mrc.ac.za/ Tramed3/Tramed3PlantPharmacologyDetails. 2004.
[16]	Moges, K., et al., In Vitro Test of Five Ethiopian Medicenal Plants for Antimalarial activity againest plasmodium Falciparum. Ethiop. J. Sci 1998. 21(1): p. 81-89.
[17]	Gericke, N., O. B. Van, and B.-E. Van Wyk, Medicinal plants of South Africa.2nd ed. Tien Wah Press, Singapore:, 2000. 44.
[18]	Debella, A., Manual for phytochemical screening of medicinal plants. Department of DrugResearch, EHNRI, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 2002: p. 1-55.
[19]	Vipul, G., et al., Hepathoprotective activity of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of leaves of Tylophora indica (Linn.) in rats. Indian J. Pharmacol, 2007. 39: p. 43-47.
[20]	WHO, General Guidelines for Methodologies on Research and Evaluation of Traditional Medicine. WHO/EDM/TRM/2000.1.
[21]	Taofik, S. and A. Anthony, Evaluation of Antidiabetic Activity and Associated Toxicity of Artemisia afra Aqueous Extract in Wistar Rats African J. of Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2013. 1(8).
[22]	OECD, Guidelines for testing of chemicals acute oral toxicicty - Fixed Dose Procedure. 2008: p. 1-12.
[23]	OECD, Guidelines for testing of chemicals acute oral toxicicty - Fixed Dose Procedure 2008: p. 1-12.
[24]	Loomis, T. A. and A. W. Hayes, Loomis’s essentials of toxicology. 4th ed., California, Academic press. 1996: p. 208- 245.
[25]	Pascoe, D., Toxicology. England, London, Edward Arnold limited. 1983: p. 1-60.
[26]	James, T., Acute and chronic toxicity of the flavonoid-containing plant, Artemisia afra in rodents 2005: p. 66-74.
[27]	Mukinda, J. and J. Syce, Acute and chronic toxicity of the aqueous extract of Artemisia afra in rodents. J Ethnopharmacol 2007. 112: p. 138-144.
[28]	Hilaly, J. E., Z. H. Israili, and B. Lyoussi, Acute and chronic toxicological studies of Ajuga Ivain experimental animals. J. Ethno-pharmacology,, 2004. 91: p. 43-50.
[29]	Heywood, Long term toxicity. In: Balls M, Riddell RJ, and Worden AN, editors, Animals and alternatives in toxicity testing, London: Academic Press. 1983: p. 79-89.
[30]	Lu, F., Basic Toxicology: fundamentals, target organs and risk assessment, 3rd edition, Taylor and Francis, Washington. 1996: p. 17-86.
[31]	Harper, H. A., Review of physiological chemistry, 14th ed. California, Lange medical publications. 1993: p. 185-402.
[32]	Rahman, M. F., M. K. Siddiqui, and K. Jamil, Effects of Vepacide (Azadirachta indica) on aspartate and alanine aminotransferase profiles in a sub chronic study with rats. J. Human and Experimental Toxicology, 2001. 20: p. 243-249.
[33]	Paliwal, A., R. Gurjar, and H. Sharma, Analysis of liver enzymes in albino rat under stress of λ-cyhalothrin and nuvan toxicity. Biol. and Medic, 2009. 1(2): p. 70-73.
[34]	Zimmerman, H., Intrahepatic cholestasis. Arch Intern Med, 1979. 139: p. 1038-45.
[35]	Thapa, B. and A. Walia, Liver function test and their interpretation. Indian J. Pediatrics, 2007. 74: p. 67-75.
[36]	Griffin, K., H. Kramer, and A. Bidani, Adverse renal consequences of obesity. American Journal of Physiology - RenalPhysiology, 2008. 294: p. 685-696.
[37]	Paula, A. and A. Mark, Kidney function test. Retrieved on 5 April 2013 fromwww.surgeryencyclopedia.com. 2011.
[38]	Kumar, V., R. Cotran, and S. Robbins, Robbins Basic Pathology7th ed. Elsevier Saunders, Philadelphia, 2002: p. 592-593.
[39]	Young, A., The physiology of lymphocyte migration through the single lymph node in vivo. Seminars in Immunol., 2006. 11: p. 73-83.
[40]	Thierry, et al., Sub acute toxicity study of the aqueous extract from Acanthus montanus Djami Tchatchou. Electronic J. Biol. 2011: p. 7(1): 11-15.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Nikodimos Eshetu, Mekbeb Afework, Eyasu Makonnen, Asfaw Debella, Wondwossen Ergete, et al. (2016). Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats. Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering, 4(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Nikodimos Eshetu; Mekbeb Afework; Eyasu Makonnen; Asfaw Debella; Wondwossen Ergete, et al. Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats. Adv. BioSci. Bioeng. 2016, 4(1), 1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Nikodimos Eshetu, Mekbeb Afework, Eyasu Makonnen, Asfaw Debella, Wondwossen Ergete, et al. Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats. Adv BioSci Bioeng. 2016;4(1):1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12,
  author = {Nikodimos Eshetu and Mekbeb Afework and Eyasu Makonnen and Asfaw Debella and Wondwossen Ergete and Tesfaye Tolesssa},
  title = {Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats},
  journal = {Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering},
  volume = {4},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-9},
  doi = {10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.abb.20160401.12},
  abstract = {Background: Artemisia afra is a plant traditionally used for treatment of different diseases in many parts of the world including Ethiopia. Its effects on different organs, however, have not yet been investigated. The objective of the present study was, therefore, to evaluate the acute and sub-chronic toxic effects of aqueous leaf extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and some Blood parameters in Rats. Methods: For acute toxicity study, aqueous extracts of the leaves were administered in a single dose of 200, 700, 1200, 2200, 3200, 4200 and 5000mg/kg body weight, while the low dose (600mg/kg) and triple of lower dose (1800mg/kg) were used for sub-chronic toxicity studies. Selected hematological and biochemical parameters of the blood followed by histopathological analysis were investigated after 90 days of daily administrations. The results were expressed as M ± SE, and differences at P Results: The current study showed that the median oral lethal dose (LD50) was greater than 5000mg/kg. Acute toxicity study revealed some changes in general behavior of the rats above 3200mg/kg. The levels of blood parameters did not change though AST level decreased significantly in female animals after 90 days of sub-chronic treatment with 1800mg/kg. Histopathological presentations were generally normal though there were mild mononuclear leukocytic infiltrations around the central venules & portal areas of rats’ liver at both 600 and 1800mg/kg dose. Furthermore, minor tubulointerstitial leukocytic infiltrations were observed in small areas of kidney sections treated at higher dose. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Artemisia afra at the test doses did not show significant toxicity: the minor inflammatory changes observed in this study were not accompanied by significant change in any of the hematological and biochemical markers of liver injury. It might be a response to parenchymal cell death with causes ranging from infectious agents, exposure to toxicants, generation of toxic metabolites, and tissue anoxia.},
 year = {2016}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats
AU  - Nikodimos Eshetu
AU  - Mekbeb Afework
AU  - Eyasu Makonnen
AU  - Asfaw Debella
AU  - Wondwossen Ergete
AU  - Tesfaye Tolesssa
Y1  - 2016/06/17
PY  - 2016
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12
T2  - Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering
JF  - Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering
JO  - Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering
SP  - 1
EP  - 9
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-4162
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12
AB  - Background: Artemisia afra is a plant traditionally used for treatment of different diseases in many parts of the world including Ethiopia. Its effects on different organs, however, have not yet been investigated. The objective of the present study was, therefore, to evaluate the acute and sub-chronic toxic effects of aqueous leaf extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and some Blood parameters in Rats. Methods: For acute toxicity study, aqueous extracts of the leaves were administered in a single dose of 200, 700, 1200, 2200, 3200, 4200 and 5000mg/kg body weight, while the low dose (600mg/kg) and triple of lower dose (1800mg/kg) were used for sub-chronic toxicity studies. Selected hematological and biochemical parameters of the blood followed by histopathological analysis were investigated after 90 days of daily administrations. The results were expressed as M ± SE, and differences at P Results: The current study showed that the median oral lethal dose (LD50) was greater than 5000mg/kg. Acute toxicity study revealed some changes in general behavior of the rats above 3200mg/kg. The levels of blood parameters did not change though AST level decreased significantly in female animals after 90 days of sub-chronic treatment with 1800mg/kg. Histopathological presentations were generally normal though there were mild mononuclear leukocytic infiltrations around the central venules & portal areas of rats’ liver at both 600 and 1800mg/kg dose. Furthermore, minor tubulointerstitial leukocytic infiltrations were observed in small areas of kidney sections treated at higher dose. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Artemisia afra at the test doses did not show significant toxicity: the minor inflammatory changes observed in this study were not accompanied by significant change in any of the hematological and biochemical markers of liver injury. It might be a response to parenchymal cell death with causes ranging from infectious agents, exposure to toxicants, generation of toxic metabolites, and tissue anoxia.
VL  - 4
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Nikodimos Eshetu

Department of Biomedical, College of Health Sciences, Mizan Tepi University, Mizan Teferi, Ethiopia
Mekbeb Afework

Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Eyasu Makonnen

Department of Pharmacology, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Asfaw Debella

Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Wondwossen Ergete

Department of Pathology, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tesfaye Tolesssa

Department of physiology, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Nikodimos Eshetu, Mekbeb Afework, Eyasu Makonnen, Asfaw Debella, Wondwossen Ergete, et al. (2016). Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats. Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering, 4(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Nikodimos Eshetu; Mekbeb Afework; Eyasu Makonnen; Asfaw Debella; Wondwossen Ergete, et al. Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats. Adv. BioSci. Bioeng. 2016, 4(1), 1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Nikodimos Eshetu, Mekbeb Afework, Eyasu Makonnen, Asfaw Debella, Wondwossen Ergete, et al. Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats. Adv BioSci Bioeng. 2016;4(1):1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12,
  author = {Nikodimos Eshetu and Mekbeb Afework and Eyasu Makonnen and Asfaw Debella and Wondwossen Ergete and Tesfaye Tolesssa},
  title = {Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats},
  journal = {Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering},
  volume = {4},
  number = {1},
  pages = {1-9},
  doi = {10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.abb.20160401.12},
  abstract = {Background: Artemisia afra is a plant traditionally used for treatment of different diseases in many parts of the world including Ethiopia. Its effects on different organs, however, have not yet been investigated. The objective of the present study was, therefore, to evaluate the acute and sub-chronic toxic effects of aqueous leaf extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and some Blood parameters in Rats. Methods: For acute toxicity study, aqueous extracts of the leaves were administered in a single dose of 200, 700, 1200, 2200, 3200, 4200 and 5000mg/kg body weight, while the low dose (600mg/kg) and triple of lower dose (1800mg/kg) were used for sub-chronic toxicity studies. Selected hematological and biochemical parameters of the blood followed by histopathological analysis were investigated after 90 days of daily administrations. The results were expressed as M ± SE, and differences at P Results: The current study showed that the median oral lethal dose (LD50) was greater than 5000mg/kg. Acute toxicity study revealed some changes in general behavior of the rats above 3200mg/kg. The levels of blood parameters did not change though AST level decreased significantly in female animals after 90 days of sub-chronic treatment with 1800mg/kg. Histopathological presentations were generally normal though there were mild mononuclear leukocytic infiltrations around the central venules & portal areas of rats’ liver at both 600 and 1800mg/kg dose. Furthermore, minor tubulointerstitial leukocytic infiltrations were observed in small areas of kidney sections treated at higher dose. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Artemisia afra at the test doses did not show significant toxicity: the minor inflammatory changes observed in this study were not accompanied by significant change in any of the hematological and biochemical markers of liver injury. It might be a response to parenchymal cell death with causes ranging from infectious agents, exposure to toxicants, generation of toxic metabolites, and tissue anoxia.},
 year = {2016}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Evaluation of the Acute and Sub-chronic Toxic Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and Some Blood Parameters in Wistar Rats
AU  - Nikodimos Eshetu
AU  - Mekbeb Afework
AU  - Eyasu Makonnen
AU  - Asfaw Debella
AU  - Wondwossen Ergete
AU  - Tesfaye Tolesssa
Y1  - 2016/06/17
PY  - 2016
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12
T2  - Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering
JF  - Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering
JO  - Advances in Bioscience and Bioengineering
SP  - 1
EP  - 9
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-4162
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.abb.20160401.12
AB  - Background: Artemisia afra is a plant traditionally used for treatment of different diseases in many parts of the world including Ethiopia. Its effects on different organs, however, have not yet been investigated. The objective of the present study was, therefore, to evaluate the acute and sub-chronic toxic effects of aqueous leaf extracts of Artemisia afra on Liver, Kidney and some Blood parameters in Rats. Methods: For acute toxicity study, aqueous extracts of the leaves were administered in a single dose of 200, 700, 1200, 2200, 3200, 4200 and 5000mg/kg body weight, while the low dose (600mg/kg) and triple of lower dose (1800mg/kg) were used for sub-chronic toxicity studies. Selected hematological and biochemical parameters of the blood followed by histopathological analysis were investigated after 90 days of daily administrations. The results were expressed as M ± SE, and differences at P Results: The current study showed that the median oral lethal dose (LD50) was greater than 5000mg/kg. Acute toxicity study revealed some changes in general behavior of the rats above 3200mg/kg. The levels of blood parameters did not change though AST level decreased significantly in female animals after 90 days of sub-chronic treatment with 1800mg/kg. Histopathological presentations were generally normal though there were mild mononuclear leukocytic infiltrations around the central venules & portal areas of rats’ liver at both 600 and 1800mg/kg dose. Furthermore, minor tubulointerstitial leukocytic infiltrations were observed in small areas of kidney sections treated at higher dose. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Artemisia afra at the test doses did not show significant toxicity: the minor inflammatory changes observed in this study were not accompanied by significant change in any of the hematological and biochemical markers of liver injury. It might be a response to parenchymal cell death with causes ranging from infectious agents, exposure to toxicants, generation of toxic metabolites, and tissue anoxia.
VL  - 4
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download