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Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Study of Subacute Toxicity in Wistar Rats Challenged with Phyllanthus amarus Schum and Thonn

Kpomah Enyohwo Dennis, Kpomah Bridget, Okonkwo Chisom Stanislaus

Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research · pp. 36–46 · Published 5 Aug 2024

10.9734/jocamr/2024/v25i8558

Abstract

Phyllanthus amarus, a widely used plant in complementary and alternative medicine practice in Southern Nigeria, is used in treating and managing numerous metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. This study is designed to assess the subacute toxicity of P. amarus in Wistar rats using body and relative organ weight, renal function, in-vivo antioxidant status and organ histology indices as a baseline. The twenty adult male rats weighing 120.00 ± 6.18 g were apportioned into four groups with five rats per group. Group A (Control) received 1.0 mL of distilled water, group B received 1000 mg/kg group C received 1500 mg/kg and group D received 2000 mg/kg body weight of the crude ethanol extract. The extract from P. amarus was administered orally once daily at 8:30 am using an oral cannula attached to a 2 mL syringe. Subacute toxicity was evaluated after 14 days. The findings showed no visible and noticeable overt signs of toxicity throughout the experimental period, non-significant adverse change in body and relative organ weight, renal function and organ histopathology of the rats in the treated and control groups. However, P. amarus significantly  improved in-vivo antioxidant status while significantly reducing the level of malondialdehyde, a biological indicator of oxidative stress in the living system.

Antioxidants oxidative stress Phyllanthus amarus phytochemicals

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Cited by 5

Identifying the Bioactive Compounds in Phyllanthus amarus Aqueous Extract and its Toxicological Evaluation Using Drosophila melanogaster

Abiodun O. Adejori, Scholastica Onyebuchi Anadozie, Ifeoluwa Lois Onifade · Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research · 2026

Anti-typhoid-like salmonellosis activity of Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thonn. (Phyllanthaceae) leaves extract: UHPLC-ESI-DAD-MS profiling, in vitro and in vivo efficacy assessment, and molecular dynamics simulations targeting SseK3

Michel Arnaud Mbock, Mathieu Jules Mbenga Tjegbe, Menye Cyrille · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · 2026

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