Iornumbe JU¹, Nwonu CN²*, Nwonu PC³, Arubi PO⁴ and Okwuasaba FK¹

¹Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
²Neuropharmacology and Behaviour Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria
³Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
⁴Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: Nwonu CN, Neuropharmacology and Behaviour Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria.

Received: December 07, 2022 Published: December 23, 2022

Abstract

The study investigated the acute and sub-chronic effects of the n-hexane seed extract of RICOM-1013-J in biochemical and haematological parameters of mature adult female Wistar rats with an average weight of 110 g. The objective of the study was to determine the immediate, short-term and prolonged toxicological profile of the extract. Thirty-four (34) adult female rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 8) of rats. Two animals (group I) and coded A received 0.2 ml/100 g rat of vegetable oil, and served as control. Two other animals (group II) coded B received 5 mg/kg, subcut. of the extract, a third set of animals (group III) code C was administered 20 mg/kg, subcut. The last two animals (group IV) coded D were injected with 30 mg/kg, subcut. of the extract. The same dosage regimen was administered to a different set of animals of equal number in groups II and III in pairs, and coded accordingly. SGOT, SGPT, urea, total protein, alkaline phosphatise, bilirubin and haematological assays were carried out at weeks I, IV and VIII in groups I, II and III respectively. Findings from the experiment showed no significant (P > 0.05) differences in the mean values of the biochemical parameters and haematological indices test groups relative to control. The study concluded that the n-hexane seed extract of RICOM-1013-J is relatively safe in rats when administered subcutaneously.

Keywords: Biochemical Parameters; Coded; Haematological Indices; Optical Density; Ricinus communis; RICOM-1013-J; Toxicological Profile

References

1. Trease GE and Evans WC. “Trease and Evans’ Textbook of Pharmacognosy”. 14^th Edition, Gopsons Paper Company Ltd. (1997): 186-187.
2. Okwuasaba FK., et al. “Preliminary Clinical Investigation of the Conceptive Efficacy and Some Chemical Pathological Effects of RICOM-1013-J in Human Volunteers”. Phytotherapy Research 12 (1996): 547-551.
3. Okwuasaba FK., et al. “The Anticonceptive and the Effect on Uterus of Ether Extract, 18312-J of Ricinus Cummunis”. Phytotherapy Research 11 (1997a): 97-100.
4. Okwuasaba FK., et al. “Pharmacological Studies on the Antifertility Effects of RICOM-1013-J from Ricinus Cummunis Var Minor Card Preliminary Clinical Studies in Women Volunteers”. Phytotherapy Research 12 (1997b): 547-551.
5. Isichei CO., et al. “Preliminary Clinical Investigation of Contraceptive Efficacy and Chemical Pathological Effects of RICOM-1013-J of Ricinus Cummunis Minor in Women Volunteers”. Phytotherapy Research 14 (2000): 40-42.
6. Lorke D. “A New Approach to Practical Acute Toxicity Testing”. Archives of Toxicology 54 (1983): 275-287.
7. Tiez NW. “Colormetric Method of Serum Aspartate and Alanine Aminotransferase”. In: Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry, W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, London (1970): 447.
8. Billing BH., et al. “Measurement of Serum Total and Conjugated Bilirubin (Modified Method)”. Annals of Clinical Biochemistry 8 (1971): 21.
9. Marsh WH., et al. “Automated and manual direct methods for the determination of blood urea”. Clinical Chemistry 11 (1965): 624-627.
10. Baker FJ and Silverton RE. “Introduction to Medical Laboratory Technology”. 5^th Edition, London. The English Language Book Society and Butherworths (1976): 549-619.
11. Arya J and Bist R. “The Diverse Ways to Determine Experimental Dose in Animals”. Hospice and Palliative Medicine International Journal2 (2022): 21-24.
12. Das SC., et al. “Chemical, Pathological and Toxicological Studies of the Effect of RICOM-1013-J of Ricinus Cummunis Minor in Women Volunteers and Rodents”. Phytotherapy Research 14 (2000): 15-19.
13. Dafur SD., et al. “The Effects of Ricinus Cummunis on Reproductive Organs of Wistar rats and Haematological Indices in Women Volunteers”. Journal of Highland Medical Research 3 (2003): 31-34.
14. Herfindal MET., et al. “Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics”. 5^th Edition, Williams and Wilkins, USA (1992): 61-81.
15. Finlayson NDC and Bouchier IAD. “Diseases of the Liver and Billary System”. In: Edwards, C.R.W., Bouchier, I.A.D., Hasiett, C. and Chivers, E.R. (eds.). Davidson’s Principles and Practice of Medicine, 17^th Edition, Edinburgh, Low-Priced Education Books Scheme, Churchill Livingstone (1995): 483-546.

Citation

Citation: Nwonu CN., et al. “A Study of Acute and Sub-Chronic Subcutaneous Toxicities of N-hexane Seed Extract of Ricom-1013-J in Wistar Rats". Acta Scientific Pharmacology 4.1 (2023): 21-28.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2022 Nwonu CN., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.