Subchronic Toxicity Studies of Methanol Extract of Eucalyptus Camaldulensis (Leaf) In Wister Rats

Abstract

In Recent Times, Focus On Plant Research Has Increased All Over The World And A Large Body Of Evidence Has Been Collected To Show Immense Potential Of Medicinal Plants Used In Various Traditional Systems, But The Need To Evaluate The Safety Of These Plants Remains Paramount. The Sub Chronic Toxicity Of The Methanol Extract Of The Leaves Of Eucalyptus Camaldulensis, A Plant That Is Used Locally To Treat Feverish Conditions In Nigeria, Was Investigated In Wister Rats. A Uniform Dose Of The Extract(200mg/Kg Bodyweight) Was Administered To Healthy Wister Rats For Three Weeks, Thereafter Monitored For Another Two Weeks And Then Sacrificed To Determine Some Haematological And Histopathological Parameters Related To Sub Chronic Toxicity. There Were Significant Increases In The Mean Terminal Bodyweights, Mean % Packed Cell Volume, And Mean % Eosinophils, While Mean % Basophils And Mean % Neutrophils Indicated Significant Decreases In The Test Groups. There Was No Significant Difference Between The Aspartate Amino Transaminase Activities Of Animals In The Control (24.89 ± 1.25 IU/L) And Test (24.22 ± 0.67 IU/L) Groups, But The Alanine Aminotransferase Activities Was Significantly Lower (16.36 ± 2.44 IU/L) In The Test Group Than The Control (19.36 ± 2.12 IU/L). The Mean Concentrations Of The Electrolytes (Cl-, K+, Na+, HCO3-) Determined For The Test And Control Groups Did Not Show Any Significant Differences Between The Values Except For Na+ (126 ± 5.29 Mmol/L For Test And 133.67 ± 3.21 Mmol/L For Control) At P ≤ 0.5. The Levels Of Urea (3.6 ± 0.6 Mmol/L) And 3.7 ± 0.66 Mmol/L); And Creatinine (92.33 ± 6.43 Mmol/L) And (99 ± 2.65 Mmol/L) For The Test And Control Groups Were Not Significantly Different P ≤0.5. The Histopathology Of The Kidney Revealed That The Glomeruli Apparatus Were Intact But There Appeared To Be Necrosis Of The Cortex, While The Liver Monograph Showed There Was Normal Hepatic Architecture Showing Central Vein And Portal Tract Interphase With Hepatic Plates Separated By Sinusoids. Results Obtained In This Study Show That The Methanol Extract Of Eucalyptus Camaldulensis Though Reported To Have Medicinal Potential May Have Long-Term Effects On The Kidney.