Toxicological Evaluation of Trema orientalis in Rats with Reference to Histopathology of certain Tissues

Author: Niranjan D., Shridhar N.B., Vinuta M.H., Manjunatha S.S., Sunilchandra U., Pradeep B.S., Manju G.U. and Patel Suresh Revanna

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Abstract

An experimental study was carried out to conduct the safety and toxicological evaluation of the methanolic extract of T. orientalis in Wistar rats through analyzing the histopathological changes observed in vital organs. Repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity study of Methanolic extract of Trema orientalis (METO) was performed in male Wistar albino rats as per the OECD guidelines 407. Twenty-four rats used in the study, were divided into 4 groups, with six in each. Group I served as control, with no medication. METO was administered daily through oral gavaging at dose levels of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg for 28 days in group II, III and IV respectively. The experimental rats were apparently healthy throughout the duration of the experiment, without significant changes in rate of body weight gain. After the completion of study all rats were euthanized humanely and during necropsy the external and internal examination of the carcass was done and lesions were recorded. The histopathological examination of the liver, kidneys and heart in the METO treated rats revealed dose-dependent and organ-specific circulatory, degenerative and inflammatory changes. The study concluded that the trematoxin, a glycosidictoxic principle of T. orientalis could be the possible reason for the pulmonary, hepatic and renal damage occurred in the experimental rats and the possibility of toxic potentiality in herbivores might need to be investigated in future.

Keywords

T. orientalis, Wistar albino rats, Necropsy, Histopathology and Trematoxin

Conclusion

The objective of the current study was to assess the toxicological characteristics of the methanolic extract of aerial parts of T. orientalis plant. Wistar albino rats were used for the safety evaluation of METO by repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity study. Repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity study of methanolic extract of T. orientalis aerial parts was performed in male Wistar albino rats following broader outlines of OECD guideline 407. The experimental rats were divided into four groups (n=6 per group), group I served as control, group II, II and IV rats were administered with METO at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg respectively for 28 days. In the experimental rats no notable changes were observed with respect to bodyweight. The maximum tolerable dose of METO in rats was investigated to be more than 2000 mg/kg histopathological examination of the liver, kidneys and heart in the METO treated rats revealed dose-dependent and organ-specific circulatory, degenerative and inflammatory changes. The changes caused by the phytochemicals in the extract were evidenced by very mild to moderate vascular abnormalities, including congestion, haemorrhages, degenerative changes and infiltration of inflammatory cells in vital organs. Trematoxin found in T. orientalis seeds, might be the possible contributing factor that would have major role in the pulmonary, hepatic and renal damage caused by continuous administration in rats. However, due to various factors such as management, nutrition and environmental conditions, the concentration of the phytoconstituent could be possibly toxic to domestic animals in animal husbandry. The present study concluded that T. orientalis would exhibit analgesic and antioxidant actions from therapeutic point of view, without completely ruling out the possible significant hepatic and pulmonary damages, which would have caused toxicities in goats.

References

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How to cite this article

Niranjan D., Shridhar N.B., Vinuta M.H., Manjunatha S.S., Sunilchandra U., Pradeep B.S., Manju G.U. and Patel Suresh Revanna (2023). Toxicological Evaluation of Trema orientalis in Rats with Reference to Histopathology of certain Tissues. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(8a): 317-325.