ACUTE AND SUBACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF INDIGOFERA BARBERI GAMBLE, AN ENDANGERED MEDICINAL PLANT

Abstract

Author(s): Srinivasan N *

Indigofera barberi Gamble, is a shrub used for various therapeutic activities in traditional system of medicine including liver disease. In this paper, we have evaluated the acute and subacute toxicity studies of crude extracts of Indigofera barberi Gamble. Indigofera barberi was administered in doses from 100 to 2000 mg/kg (single dose) for the acute toxicity study. In subacute toxicity test animals were administered 500 and 1000 mg/kg doses by orally for 28 consecutive days. The subacute toxicity study of Indigofera barberi did not reveal alterations in body weight, food and water consumptions. The haematological parameters, relative organ weights, biochemical and lipid profile analyses did not show any significant differences between control and treated groups. No abnormalities or histopathological changes were observed in the liver cells of all treated groups. The study concluded that administration of Indigofera barberi in wistar albino rats is nontoxic and is safe for use.