Subchronic toxicity studies of aqueous leaf and stem bark extract of Irvingia gabonensis in male albino wistar rats

Irvingia gabonensis is a plant with enormous ethno-botanical profile. It is largely used in traditional and modern medicine for the treatment of several illnesses. This study investigated the effect of aqueous leaf and stem bark extracts of I. gabonensis on the haematology, pathomorphology and some clinical chemistry profiles of male albino wistar rats following subchronic exposure. The extract was administered using the oral route. Group A served as control and was given only distilled water. Groups B, C and D were treated with the extract at 100, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg, respectively. The parameters assessed to determine the effect of subchronic administration of the extract were: packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), total red blood cell count (TRBC), total white blood cell count (TWBC), differential white blood cell count (DWBC), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and histopathology of the heart, liver, spleen, kidney and testes. The data obtained were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Values were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. The haematological values obtained from the treatment groups did not show any significant difference from the control. Likewise, the serum biochemistry values obtained from the treatment groups did not differ significantly from the control. Histopathological evaluation of the testes showed testicular degeneration in groups C (1000 mg/kg) and D (2000 mg/kg). The findings of this study suggest that I. gabonensis may have a reprotoxic effect following subchronic or long-term exposures.