Abstract
BACKGROUND: Aqueous preparations of a medicinal plant, Gnidia stenophylla Gilg (Thymelaeaceae) are commonly used to cure malaria and other ailments in Ethiopia. This study evaluated the safety of the plant extract by determining its effects on food intake and histology of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) after oral administration for 13 weeks in albino mice. METHODS: Thirty mice were equally assigned to three groups. Group I served as control and received a vehicle while groups II and III were given 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight/day plant extract respectively, orally, for 13 weeks. At the end of the study, the mice were scarified and postmortem gross and histopathological evaluations were performed on their stomachs and intestines. RESULTS: Chronic oral treatment with the extract for 13 weeks did not induce any sign of illness and death and had no effect on food intake of the mice. Furthermore, extract treatment at both doses did not produce any detectable gross morphological change in GIT. Microscopic evaluation of sections of the stomach, duodenum and jejunum of the mice treated with 400 mg/kg body weight did not show any histopathological change. In the mice treated with 800 mg/kg body weight, however, the GIT sections revealed cytoplasmic vacuolation, hydropic degeneration and excessive erosion of the surface mucosal cells. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed that aqueous root extract of G. stenophylla at effective antimalarial dose is safe even when taken for a longer period in mice. At a higher dose, however, the extract may induce gastrointestinal irritation. Further studies on other vital organs and non-rodent species including humans are recommended.