Toxic effect of nerium oleander leaves extract on biochemical parameters in rabbits serum

Abstract EN

The study involved collection of the Nerium oleander leaves of two seasons (summer and winter) in 2014 which was taken from Baghdad (Amiriya).

The leaves prepared by drying, grinding, the extraction which was carried by soxhlet apparatus with organic solvent (hexane).

The pilot study (by using two rabbits for each dose of N.

oleander extracts of the two seasons) was done for determining the range of doses which used.

The median lethal dose (LD50) which was carried out by "up and down" method was (94.36) mg/kg B.Wt.

for summer extract and (79.75) mg/kg B.Wt.

for winter extract of N.

oleander leaves.

The chronic toxicity were carried out on rabbits by giving 10% of the dose that obtained by acute toxicity study and by considering different serum parameters after two weeks and four weeks of daily treatment.

These parameters include serum potassium, calcium levels, serum ALT, AST and ALP levels.

Biochemical study shown serum liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP) was elevated in both groups (summer and winter) as compare to digoxin and control groups in different times (two weeks and four weeks), also increase serum K+ level as hyperkalemia and decrease serum Ca++ level as hypocalcaemia.

We concluded that the N.

oleander leaves extract has toxic effect on liver enzymes (ALT, AST and ALP), also effect on serum calcium and potassium levels, also the winter extract more effect than that in summer extract.