ABSTRACT
The effects of medium term administration of crude Diospyros mespiloformis root extracts on some biochemical parameters were investigated in mice. Forty mice were divided into two groups of twenty animals each. Animals in group I were gavaged with the root extracts at 400mg/kg/body weight for five weeks. Group II received normal saline (0.09%w/v NaCl) and served as controls. Whole body weights, fresh organ weights, packed cell volume (PCV) and some serum biochemical parameters were analysed using standard methods. Results showed minimal variation in whole body weights and packed cell volumes of animals given the extracts. Also values for some organ weights, triacyglycerides (148.25± 2.78 mg/dL), and Alkaline Phosphatase (41.50± 1.71 mg/dL) were not significantly (p > 0.05) different between test and control animals in the final week. However, heart (0.74%), lungs (4.43%), glucose (113.92 ± 2.43 mg/dL), total proteins (4.75 ± 1.25mg/dL), Aspartate Transaminase (40.50 ± 1.50 μL) and Alanine Transaminase (43.52 ± 4.50μL), were significantly (p < 0.05) different between the animals administered D. mespiliformis and controls. These results are early indications that long term consumption of D. mespiliformis could predispose to adverse tissue effects.