ABSTRACT
Alocasia macrorrhiza [L] Schott and Endl is an ornamental perennial herbaceous plant which grows in coastal wetlands and valleys. Its common English name is Giant Elephant's Ear. The study planned to follow up the effect of the plant extract of Alocasia macrorrhiza on hepatorenal functions in mice following treated and recovery periods. Animals were divided into two major groups, a control and an experimental group. Animals of the experimental group received Alocasia extract orally day by day in a dose of 144.6mg / kg /day for 20 days. Animals were sacrificed after treated and recovery periods of 10 and 20 days respectively, blood samples were collected for hematological tests and biochemical analysis. Liver and kidney specimens were obtained and fixed in 10% formol saline for histological and histochemical study. RBCs, Hb were significantly decreased after treated period. Total protein, albumin and globulin were significantly decreased, while, AST, ALT, GGT, LDH, urea, creatinine, total lipid and cholesterol were significantly increased after treated and recovery period of 10 days. Histological changes in treated sections of the liver showed evidence of cellular degeneration and necrosis and in Kidney sections, tubular necrosis, glomerular shrinkage and atrophied glomerular tuft of capillaries were prominent. Mallory stained sections in liver showed increased collagen fibers around congested central veins, blood sinusoids and portal areas. While in kidney sections, the extract could not induce any change in the collagen fibers in the connective tissue. The changes which were observed after treatment disappeared after a recovery period of 20 days. However, the vascular congestion persisted. Histochemical studies revealed a significant decrease in PAS positive material in kidney after treated and a recovery period of 10 days. However DNA content showed non significant difference in all the experimental periods. The high LD[50] of the reversible action of the plant need more studies in different suitable doses before recommendation to use it safety as medicinal plant