Toxicological Evaluation of the Aqueous Extract of Carica Papaya Leaves on Wistar Female Rats

Abstract

Objective: The main objectives of this work is to determine the lethal dose (LDAP)effect of Carica papaya leaves and signs of toxicity wistar female rats in a short term period study (14 days).

Study Design: Observational study.

Place and Duration: Mature green leaves of Carica papaya plant were collected from Carica papaya garden, District Malir Karachi, in October 2017. The leaves samples were identified and belong to Carica papaya family; Caricaceae in the Department of Botany, University of Karachi.

Materials and Methods: Seventy six (76) large expanded green healthy leaves of male plant were washed carefully with water, cut into small pieces and were crush in electric grinder by adding water at room temperature. The blended material was squeezed and filtered with the help of a man filter paper 42 pore size making sure that the extract should be free from leaf particles. Different doses were prepared from this extract according to the body weight of the rats and dissolved in known amount of water (1-2) ml depending on the amount of lyophilized extract taken. Specific pathogen- free, healthy inbred lines, adult albino female Wistar non-pregnant rats of 12 week weighing between 110- 140g were obtained from animal house of Dow university of Health and Sciences (DUHS).

Results: The main objectives of this work is to determine the lethal dose (LDAP)effect of Carica papaya leaves and signs of toxicity wistar female rats in a short term period study (14 days).Lyophi1ized aqueous extract of Carica papaya leaves

was administered orally to female Wistar rats. The lethal dose was found to be 16g/kg of body weight. This dose in rats caused mainly reduced appetite, gradually decreased body weight, uncomfortable feeling, abdominal pain, shallow breathing and itching and coughing. All Rats survived at a dose of 4g/kg and 8g/kg of body weight. Histopathological studies show acute inflammation and fibrinous exudates in lung parenchyma and mildly dilated sinusoids, prominent kupffer cells along with cellular swelling at a dose of 16g/kg of body weight.

Conclusion: It can be concluded from this study that herbal medicines from Carica papaya leave extracts appear to be nontoxic as lethal dose is high (16g/kg of body weight) but phase I clinical trials on healthy volunteers are needed for safety testing of these medicines before their use for treatment of dengue fever patients.