title: Toxicological study of the butanol fractionated root extract of Asparagus africanus Lam., on some blood parameter and histopathology of liver and kidney in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The butanol fractionated root extract of Asparagus africanus Lam., a traditional herb widely used to treat various ailments were analyzed for the presence of potential toxicity after single (acute) and repeated (subchronic) dose oral administration in adult swiss albino mice using gavages.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the acute study, butanol fractionated extract of the plant was administered in single doses of 1000, 3000 and 5000 mg/kg body weight. In the sub-chronic dose study, the extract was administered at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight/day for 42 days. Selected hematological and biochemical parameters of the blood followed by histopathological analysis were investigated after 42 days of daily administrations. The results were expressed as M ± SE, and differences at P < 0.05 was considered significant. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and least significant difference tests were employed to check the significant differences between the various parameters of the experimental groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the acute study, the extract did not caused dose-dependent general behavioral adverse effects, body weight change and mortality. The single dose toxicity studies therefore showed that the butanol fraction of the extract has high safety profile when given orally. After 42 days of daily dosing, in the sub-chronic study, no clinically significant changes were observed for hematological and biochemical parameters. Except an occasional small number of focal mononuclear lymphocytic cells infiltrations around the central and portal triad of the liver of a few mice, the histopathological parameters do not show significant change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that, the butanol fractionated extract from A. africanus at the given dose does not show significant toxicity. The presence of focal inflammation on the liver of a few mice may be associated to the presence of flavonoid glycoside in the butanol fractionated extract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 18309, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. itukuk@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sintayehu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kebede
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy,Medical Faculty, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. mekbebafework@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Mekbeb
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afework
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Traditional and Modern Medicine Drug Research Directorate, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. asfawdebella@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Asfaw
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debella
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical Faculty, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. wondwossen_ergeete@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Wondwossen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ergete
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Eyasumakonnen@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Eyasu
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Makonnen
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D027761:Asparagus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D000440:Butanols / Q000737:chemistry; D005591:Chemical Fractionation / Q000379:methods; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000440:Butanols; D010936:Plant Extracts
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