Toxicity of aqueous extract of eucalyptus in swice albino mice

Abstract EN

A queous extract of Eucalyptus have been traditionally used as a medicinal agent for treatment of a variety of diseases, or as a pesticide original botanic in many researches.

There have been only a few reports on the toxicity of the aqueous extracts of Eucalyptus.

Oral toxicity studies of aqueous extract of Eucalyptus was carried out in males' mice to evaluate the morphological hematological, biochemical and histopathological changes, As well as to evaluate its effect on the general health if used as pesticide.

Twenty adult healthy male mice were divided into two groups of 10 animals each were used.

The first group received orally aqueous extract of Eucalyptus at a dose level of 2000mg / kg b.

w (0.2ml of the extract / mouse / day).

Mice in control group were given an equivalent volume of distilled water.

Blood samples were collected at the end of experimental period for hematological and biochemical analysis.

Selected organs from both control and treated animals were examined microscopically for histopathological changes.

The aqueous extract of Eucalyptus induced undesired behavior and external features.

However, treatment with aqueous extract of Eucalyptus induces significant decrease in body weight gain of mice.

Hematological studies revealed a significant decrease in hemoglobin level, RBC, WBC and platelets count of treated mice.

Also the treated mice showed dramatic alterations in hepatic and renal functions as indicated by the biochemical estimation of several parameters (ALT, AST, and creatinine and urea level).

Histological examination revealed that, the treatment with aqueous extract of Eucalyptus induced different drastic lesions in many organs which were more pronounced in liver and lung.

The obtained results collectively indicated that subchronic administration of aqueous extract of Eucalyptus induced severe morphological, and biochemical perturbations.

Also our examinations seem to prove that aqueous extract of Eucalyptus at a dose level used in the present work plays prominent role in the development of histopathological alterations in Swiss albino mice.