ACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF AQUEOUS SEED EXTRACT OF VIGNA UNGUICULATA IN ALBINO RATS

Objective: Increased usage of traditional folklore medicines by the public has led to scientific evaluation of safety of the herbs thereby providing the physicians the data required to employ them in the management of ailments. Seeds of Vigna unguiculata are commonly consumed as vegetables and as a culinary dish in most parts of Asian sub-continent. The present study was carried out to screen phytochemical constituents, evaluate acute toxic effects and determine LD50 of aqueous seed extract of Vigna unguiculata.Methods: Phytochemical screening was carried out as described by Kokate. Acute oral toxicity study was carried out based on OECD guideline 423 and a limit test at a dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight was carried out in female wistar rats. The extract was orally administered in animals at a single dose of 2000mg/kg body weight. Signs of toxicity and mortality were noted after 1, 4 and 24h of administration of the extract for 14 days.Results: Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids and proteins. No mortality and no significant changes were observed in physical observations, behavioral observations, autonomic effects, sensory responses, reflexes, respiratory effects and somatomotor activity in animals which reveal the safety of the extract at dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight.Conclusion: Conclusively, the results suggest that the aqueous extract is not acutely toxic to the rats and LD50 was found to be higher than 2000 mg/kg

Supplementation of Daucus carota L. extract prevents urolithiasis in experimental rats

Daucus carota L. was first used for medical purposes and gradually used as a food worldwide and it has been endorsed in relic Ayurvedic scriptures in India and is being used in many Ayurvedic formulations as a chief ingredient. The present study was designed to evaluate the antiurolithiatic activity of D. carota L. extract against ethylene glycol (EG) and Vitamin D3 induced urolithiasis rats. The protective effect of D. carota L. root extract was studied in a dose-dependent manner by using 200 and 400 mg/kg in rats for four weeks and the anti-urolithiatic potentiality was accessed by measuring the parameters like calcium, sodium, potassium, oxalate, inorganic phosphate, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and uric acid were estimated in both serum and urine by using commercial diagnostic kits. The in vivo antioxidant activity of D. carota L. was also evaluated and histopathological changes that occurred in the kidney observed. Serum and urinary levels of calcium, creatinine, oxalate, blood urea and blood urea nitrogen level were found to be decreased significantly in groups pre-treated with D. carota L. extract. The animals treated with test drug showed much improvement in physical parameters like body weight, urine volume and pH of urine. Histopathology of kidney showed almost normal kidney architecture in treated groups compared to disease control rats. The biochemical and histopathological parameters studied in rats have revealed the presences of antiurolithiatic property in the roots of Daucus carota L. This property was dose-dependent

Supplementation of <em>Daucus carota </em>L. extract prevents urolithiasis in experimental rats

253-260Daucus carota L. was first used for medical purposes and gradually used as a food worldwide and it has been endorsed in relic Ayurvedic scriptures in India and is being used in many Ayurvedic formulations as a chief ingredient. The present study was designed to evaluate the antiurolithiatic activity of D. carota L. extract against ethylene glycol (EG) and Vitamin D3 induced urolithiasis rats. The protective effect of D. carota L. root extract was studied in a dose-dependent manner by using 200 and 400 mg/kg in rats for four weeks and the anti-urolithiatic potentiality was accessed by measuring the parameters like calcium, sodium, potassium, oxalate, inorganic phosphate, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and uric acid were estimated in both serum and urine by using commercial diagnostic kits. The in vivo antioxidant activity of D. carota L. was also evaluated and histopathological changes that occurred in the kidney observed. Serum and urinary levels of calcium, creatinine, oxalate, blood urea and blood urea nitrogen level were found to be decreased significantly in groups pre-treated with D. carota L. extract. The animals treated with test drug showed much improvement in physical parameters like body weight, urine volume and pH of urine. Histopathology of kidney showed almost normal kidney architecture in treated groups compared to disease control rats. The biochemical and histopathological parameters studied in rats have revealed the presences of antiurolithiatic property in the roots of Daucus carota L. This property was dose-dependent