The acute toxicity study were performed in Swiss mice with sequentially extracted petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of root, stem and leaf of C. procera (Ait.) R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae). All extracts were also evaluated for the changes in hematological parameters in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats at 100 and 250 mg/kg doses. The following compounds were used as positive controls: insulin N (1 IU/kg), metformin (500 mg/kg), glibenclamide (2.5 mg/kg) and acarbose (20 mg/kg). In adult mice, single oral dose of the petroleum ether and methanol extracts of root and leaf of C. procera (5ââ?¬â??2000 mg/kg) induced an increase in the incidence of general behavioural adverse effects and fall in category under moderately toxic. The mortality rate in these mice were observed after receiving the doses beyond 2000 mg/kg (LD50 ~ 1000 mg/kg). In contrast, other extracts of C. procera were well tolerated in mice up to the oral dose of 2000 mg/kg with no incidence of mortality and fall in category under slightly toxic. Induction of diabetes in rats with STZ enhanced the levels of monocyte and eosinophil, in addition the reduction in the levels of RBC and hemoglobin were also observed. The root methanolic, stem methanolic and leaf ethyl acetate extracts of C. procera significantly reduced the monocyte and eosinophil levels; further, these treatments also augmented the levels of RBC and hemoglobin in STZ induced diabetic rats. No change in other hematological indices indicates that the plant extracts are nontoxic to rats at doses of 100 and 250 mg/kg.
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