Biochemical and Haematological Studies on the Ethanol Leaf Extract of Spondias mombin Linn

Abstract

Spondias mombin Linn (Anacardiaceae) is an edible plant that is ethnopharmacologically used for induction of labour, expulsion of afterbirth, and stabilization of women after childbirth. The effects of ethanol extract of the leaf of S. mombin on hepatic, renal and haematologic function indices of albino rabbits were studied using standard methods. Acute toxicity studies of the extract showed the lethal dose (LD 50 ) to be indeterminate, while the effective (abortifacient) dose (ED 50 ) was 753.96 ±0.10 mg/kg body weight. Intraperitoneal administration of 750 mg/kg body weight of the extract significantly (p<0.05) reduced serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, as well as the serum concentrations of total bilirubin, urea and creatinine, but increased the serum concentrations of total protein, albumin and haemoglobin, as well as the values of white blood cell count, platelet count, and the calculated red cell indices. The results of the study showed that the extract does not have detrimental toxicological effects on the studied organs/tissue function indices. However, it’s observed effect on platelet count calls for further studies.