Acute Toxicity of Methanolic Extract of Anabasis articulata Stems

background The LD50 value, defined as the statistically derivative dose that, when given in an acute toxicity test, is predictable to cause death in 50 % of the treated animals in a specified period, is presently the basis for toxicological classification of chemicals. Anabasis articulata also called Ajrem, broadly distributed in the desert of Iraq and widely used for treatment of eczema, fever, kidney infections and diabetes. Objective to investigate the acute toxicity of methanolic extract of Anabasis articulata stems. Subjects and methods safety of methanolic extract that displayed potential antiangiogenic activity was tested against two species of animals rats and mice. Swiss albino mice were used to evaluate the toxicity of the methanolic extract of Anabasis articulata. Animals were orally feed with serial doses of the extract between 2.5 to 30.0 g / kg body weight and detected continuously for the first 4 h and then every hour for the next 24 h, then 6 hourly for 48 h (72 h, acute toxicity), after two weeks the results were collected. In addition to above rats were also fed with 5000 mg/kg of extract. Subsequent oral administration of Anabasis articulata methanolic extract the toxicity in the animals was done by evaluating the effects of herb on body weight, biochemical parameters, and histopathological investigation of intestine, liver, lung, spleen, heart, stomach, testis and kidney. Results The average acute toxicity value (LD50) of Anabasis articulata stems methanolic extract was found to be 26.18 g/kg body weight. The extract reduced glucose level significantly, the remaining biochemical findings display no significant different in comparison to control. Body weight was detected in totally of the groups that treated with the extract. No significant changes in the body weight happen throughout the study, and no important alteration in histopathological study. Conclusion the LD50 value indicated the drug to be fairly safe in single dose treatment. The study also presented the extract had worthy hypoglycemic effects.