Safety evaluation of Terminalia catappaLinn (Combretaceae) aqueous leaf extract: Sub-acute cardio-toxicopathological studies in albino Wistar rats

This study evaluated the safety of sub-acute administration of Terminalia catappa L. aqueous leaf extract (TCA) on cardiac biochemical parameters. Graded concentrations (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) of TCA wereorally administered daily for 28 days. Cardiac biochemical parameters of toxicity were thereafter accessedusing standard methods forsuperoxide dismutase, peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, reduced glutathione, lipid peroxidation, protein levels, cholesterol, triglyceride, lactate dehydrogenase and creatinine kinase. TCA treatment did not alter the heart weight and cardiac biochemical parameters. Nonetheless, at 800 mg/kg, the antioxidant profile was significantly improved after TCA treatment. There was no mediated sign of treatment toxicityas well asa change in cardiac histological architecture. T. catappaaqueous leaf extract is relatively non-toxic to the heart at the experimental doses and also within the test period.