Biochemical and Toxicological Studies of Bridelia micrantha [Berth] and Mitracarpus villosus [Swartz] DC Extracts used as Biofumigant Against Stored Produce Insect Pests on Albino Rats

In recent years, plant materials have been widely explored as sources of insect pest control agents with little or no study on their toxicity. The present study aimed to detect the biochemical alterations in liver and kidney associated with acute oral toxicity of the extracts of B. micrantha and M. villosus in albino rats.

Twenty seven albino rats, weighing between 150-180g were used and divided into nine groups of three rats each, administered with different doses of each extracts (0, 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000mg/kg). The plasma and homogenates of liver and kidney of the rats were investigated for the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALT), total protein, urea and creatinine, using standard laboratory kits.

The administration of either extract did not cause death or any hazardous symptoms of acute toxicity, nor resulted in any evident changes in the body weight. However, the extracts caused significant decreases in the levels of ALT, AST, ALP and total protein, urea and creatinine in biochemical parameters. They also caused a significant decrease in the serum parameters of treated rats’ liver and kidney at all doses.

The results demonstrated that the oral administration of B. micrantha ethyl acetate extract and of M. villosus petroleum ether extract may be considered as moderately free of toxicity. This was based on our findings that two compounds were moderately safe with respects to their effects on the liver and kidney functions at concentrations of up to 2000 mg/kg body weight of the rats.