title: Biochemical and histopathological effects on liver due to acute oral toxicity of aqueous leaf extract of Ecliptaalba on female Swiss albino mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited data is available about the toxicity of herbal remedies used for self-medication. Since a popular medicinal plant Ecliptaalba contains various bioactive molecules, the present study aimed to observe the biochemical and histological changes in liver associated with acute oral toxicity (LD50) of aqueous extract of E. alba (L.) Hassk. in female Swiss albino mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the acute oral toxicity study, the animals were divided into six groups of 6 mice each. Group- I was normal control and the treatment groups were administered aqueous leaf extract of E. alba orally at different doses of 500 mg (group - I),1750 mg (group-III), 2000 mg (group- IV), 2500 mg (group- V) and 3000 mg/ kg/b.wt.(group- VI) for seven consecutive days. The mice were sacrificed on the eighth day and blood was collected for the analysis of ALP (alkaline phosphatase), SGPT (serum glutamic pyruvic transferase), total protein and albumin. The liver was dissected, weighed, and processed for histopathological analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The LD50 was found to be 2316.626 mg/kg /body weight in female mice. Serum SGPT, total protein and albumin increased in treated group- IV (P < 0.05), V (P < 0.01), and VI (P < 0.01) as compared to the control (group- I). ALP level significantly decreased in the treated group- IV (P < 0.05), V (P < 0.01) and VI (P < 0.01). Histopathological changes were observed at dose of 2000 mg (group- IV), 2500 mg (group- V) and 3000 mg (group- VI).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that oral administration of aqueous leaf extract of E. alba had detrimental effects on biochemical parameters and induced histopathological alterations in liver of female Swiss albino mice at doses higher than 2000 mg/kg/day indicating that its indiscriminate use should be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, BMD College, Dayalpur, BRA Bihar University, Bihar, India.
authors.forename: Tanuja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Nivedita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology*; D036601:Eclipta / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000633:toxicity*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase
keywords: Biochemical; Ecliptaalba; hepatotoxicity; histopathological
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