•  
  •  
 

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Abstract

Moringa oleifera leaves have been reported to possess potential hypotensive and hypocholesterolemic andhypoglycemic activities; nevertheless toxicological data of this herb in animal models have still been scanty. Theobjective of this study was to evaluate both acute and chronic toxicity of the water extract of M. oleifera leaves by oraladministration. Acute toxicity test in mice by gavage with the extract twice, each at the dose of 10 g/kg, revealed thatthe extract produced no acute toxic symptoms and gross lesions of vital organs. Chronic toxicity study wasinvestigated in eighty Wistar rats allocated into four groups, each of ten per sex. Group 1 was the control groupreceiving distilled water. Group 2 to 4 were experimental groups receiving the extract at the doses of 10, 100 and 1000mg/kg/day for six months consecutively. The results revealed that the extract at different doses did not affectgrowth, food consumption, general health status and any hematological values of the animals. Blood chemistryprofiles of the extract-treated male rats were not significantly different from those of the control-group male rats. Inthe female, when compared to the control group, the group receiving the extract at the dose of 100 mg/kg/day hadsignificantly higher albumin and the highest dose–treated group had significantly lower potassium levels.Histopathological results revealed that the incidence of lesions in some organs of all extract-treated groups were notsignificantly different from those of the control group. In conclusion, the water extract of M. oleifera leaves at thetested doses produce no acute toxicity and serious chronic toxicity in experimental animals.

DOI

10.56808/2985-1130.2332

First Page

417

Last Page

424

Download

Share

COinS