Pharmacognostical standardization and toxicity profile of the methanolic leaf extract of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour) Spreng.

ABSTRACT

The present investigation was intended to evaluate the toxicity of the methanolic leaf extract of a traditionally used plant Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour) Spreng. Plant material was analysed for various pharmacognostical parameters as per WHO guidelines procedure i.e., foreign matter, microscopical sections, loss on drying, water and alcoholic extractive values, Total ash, acid soluble ash, heavy metals, phytochemical analysis and toxicity studies. Acute & Sub acute toxicity of the methanolic extract was evaluated in albino mice (Female) after ingestions of the extract during one day (Acute model) and during 28days (sub acute model).The studies on sub acute toxicity reveals that no mortalities or evidence of adverse effects have been observed in Albino mice following acute oral administration at the highest dose of 2000mg/kg crude extracts of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour) Spreng. Similarly, in sub-acute toxicity study methanolic extract 200,400 mg/kg body wt of Plectranthus amboinicus did not cause any changes in hematological and biochemical parameters. Studies on histopathological examination of vital organs showed normal architecture suggesting no morphological disturbances. Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour) Spreng can be considered as safe as it did not cause either any lethality or adverse changes in the general behavior in mice.