PeerJ 8: e9138

Biochemical and toxicological effects of methanolic extract of <em>Asparagus africanus</em> Lam in Sprague-Dawley rats

^{Science Laboratory Technology Department, School of Science and Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria}

^{Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia}

^{Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia}

^{University of Malaya Bioequivalence Testing Centre (UBAT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia}

^{Corresponding author.}

Zamri Chik: ym.ude.cmmu@kihcirmaz

Received 2019 Jun 19; Accepted 2020 Apr 15.

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited.

Abstract

Asparagus africanus Lam. is a plant used traditionally to treat different ailments. Currently, scanty information is available on its safety. The aim of this study is to determine the acute toxicity of the methanolic extract on vital organs and its associated biochemical parameters. Fifteen female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups. Group I served as normal control, groups II, III, IV, and V were orally administered single dose of crude extract dissolved in distilled water at 5 mg/kg BW, 50 mg/kg BW, 300 mg/kg BW and 2,000 mg/kg BW. Rats were observed for 14 days and body weights were recorded. On day 15, the rats were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for biochemical and haematological analyses, while the liver and kidneys were sampled for histopathological examination. Body weight and haematology parameters results showed significance difference (p < 0.05) among means of HGB, RDW, RBC, and MCHC; likewise, (p < 0.001) for WBC and platelet among treated groups. Histopathology result showed that kidneys appeared normal while livers were congested with mildly swollen hepatocytes and occasional binucleation. Focal lobular hepatitis was observed in all treated animals. However, hepatic enzymes were not significantly affected and no histopathological harmful effects were observed in kidney. In conclusion, methanolic extracts of A. africanus are safe up to 2,000 mg/kg BW. The obtained results could be used as a justification for the traditional application of the plant for treatment of various ailments.

Keywords: Asparagus africanus, Antifertility, Biochemical, Contraceptive, Haematology and toxicity

Abstract

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Funding Statement

The University of Malaya IPPP provided the grant to finance this research project with grant number PG112-2014B. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Funding Statement

Competing Interests

Author Contributions

Animal Ethics

Data Availability

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