Evaluation of the Effects of Paxherbal Bitters on Albino Rats

Abstract

The bitters, marketed as a “cure-all”- patent medicine, composed of forty herbal constituents was fed using an oro- gastric gavage, to different sets of male albino wistar rats, after which the acute toxicity (LD 50 ), biochemical and haematological indices as well as the subchronic toxicity and histological status of the her bal bitters on the rats were investigated using standard laboratory procedures. The bitters were well tolerated and not toxic to the rat organs and blood cells, during the 28-day duration of the study. The high acute toxicity (LD 50 ) of the bitters of 24ml/kg body weight (equivalent to 24g/kg body weight) indicates it has low-lethality. The minimal and non-
significant differences (P>0.05) in all the indices used to assess, the liver, kidney and cardiac function statuses of the bitters-fed rats compared to same in the control rats, was indicative that the bitters preserved the functions of these organs. The increase in the CD 4+ -count and decrease in the level of the fasting blood glucose in the bitters-fed rats when compared to that of the control rats was significant (P<0.05). The decrease in serum triacylglycerol and LDL- cholesterol levels and the increase in HDL-cholesterol caused by the bitters was significant (P<0.05). The bitters-fed rats had a significant decrease (P<0.05) in their serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and a significant increase (P<0.05) in their serum vitamin C and E levels and activities of antioxidant enzymes namely superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, when compared with that of the control rats. The described changes in the
histopathological studies done on the tissues of the heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, small intestine and colon of bitters- fed rats did not reveal adverse differences when compared to those of control organs. The results from this study indicate that Paxherbal bitters may be said to be - hypolipidaemic, hypoglycaemic, immunity-boosting, choleretic, hepatoprotective, antihypertensive, as well as having antioxidant properties and protective against cardiovascular diseases.