METHANOL LEAF EXTRACT

The study investigated the sub-chronic effects of methanol leaf extract of Anthocleista grandiflora on the weekly body weight and organ weight indices of Wistar rats. A. grandiflora, commonly known as the Giant African Cabbage Tree, is widely used in African traditional medicine for treating malaria, liver disorders, and metabolic diseases. Despite its extensive ethnomedicinal applications, limited toxicological data exist regarding its long-term physiological effects. Fresh leaves of A. grandiflora were extracted with methanol, and twenty male Wistar rats were orally administered graded doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg body weight for 28 days, with a control group receiving distilled water. Weekly body weight measurements and post-treatment organ weights (liver, kidneys, heart, spleen, and testes) were recorded. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA with significance at p ≤ 0.05. Results showed no significant adverse effect on body or organ weights across all doses compared to control, suggesting that the methanol extract did not induce major systemic toxicity under the experimental conditions. The observed stable weight progression and normal organ-to-body weight ratios indicate a relatively safe toxicological profile of A. grandiflora at the tested doses. The findings support its ethnomedicinal use and provide baseline data for further biochemical and histopathological safety evaluations.

Medicinal plants have long been used in traditional African medicine for managing kidney-related ailments, largely due to their rich phytochemical compositions and therapeutic potential. This study investigated the effects of methanol leaf extract of Anthocleista grandiflora on renal and electrolyte parameters in Wistar rats. A. grandiflora, a member of the Gentianaceae family, is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic properties attributed to its bioactive constituents such as flavonoids, iridoids, saponins, and tannins. Fresh leaves were collected, authenticated, air-dried, pulverized, and extracted with methanol. Twenty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: a control and three treatment groups receiving 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg of the extract orally for 28 days. Biochemical parameters including urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate were analyzed using standard diagnostic methods. Results indicated no statistically significant (p > 0.05) alterations in serum urea and creatinine concentrations across all groups, suggesting that the extract did not impair renal excretory function or protein metabolism. Similarly, electrolyte values remained within normal physiological limits, confirming the maintenance of acid–base balance and tubular integrity. Slight fluctuations in sodium and potassium were non-dose-dependent and within safe reference ranges. The extract demonstrated renal safety and stability across the measured biochemical parameters. The findings imply that methanol leaf extract of A. grandiflora exerts no nephrotoxic effects and may instead support renal homeostasis through its antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing mechanisms. These results validate its ethnomedicinal use in managing renal and urinary disorders and support its potential as a safe natural therapeutic agent for kidney protection. Further studies are recommended to isolate and characterize the specific bioactive constituents responsible for its renoprotective effects.