Subacute Toxicity Study of Stem Extract of Telfairia occidentalis in Rats

Telfairia occidentalis Hook (Cucurbitaceae) is used in Ibibio ethnomedicine for the treatment of diverse diseases such as malaria, diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders. Evaluation of subacute administration of ethanol stem extract of Telfaira occidentalis for effect on hematological indices, liver and kidney functions as well as lipid profile of rats was carried out. The stem extract (200, 400, 600 mg/kg body weight) was orally administered to Wistar rats daily for 30 days and the rats were sacrificed under light diethyl ether anesthesia at the completion of the administration. Subacute administration of T. occidentalis stem extract resulted in insignificant increase in body weights of rats especially at high doses without any significant (p>0.05) effect on the weights of heart, brain, liver, kidney, spleen and testes when compared to control, but the weights of ovary was decreased significantly (p<0.01) at higher doses (400 and 600 mg/kg) relative to control. The stem extract treatment did not affect the WBC, RBC and platelets counts, hemoglobin concentration, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophil and basophil percentages as well as bleeding and clotting times significantly (p>0.05) relative to control. However, significant (p<0.05) increase of neutrophils percentage at low dose (200 mg/kg) and decreased PCV percentage at higher doses (400 and 600 mg/kg) when compared to control were recorded. The stem extract administration did not cause any significant (p>0.05) effect on total protein, albumin, ALP, total and conjugated bilirubin levels of rats except significantly (p<0.05-0.01) elevated ALT and AST levels at low dose (200 mg/kg) of the extract when compared to control. The stem extract did not cause any significant effect (p>0.05) on creatinine, potassium, sodium, chloride and bicarbonate levels of the treated rats except significantly (p<0.001) elevated urea level at low dose of the extract (200 mg/kg), but caused dose-dependent and insignificant (p>0.05) decreases in total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL and VLDL levels when compared to control. The stem extract exerted mild to moderate effect on the histologies of brain, heart, spleen, livers, kidneys, testes and a severe effect on ovaries of rats. Chronic study is advocated to investigate the effect of prolonged administration of the stem extract organs and systems of rats.