Evaluation of Toxicological Potential of Methanolic Extract of <i>Chromolaena</i> <i>odorata</i> found in the Western Ghats of Indian Subcontinent Orally in Mice

Praseena Paulose¹, Sanis Juliet¹, Samraj Sujith¹, Mechery Sini¹, Thirumangalath Meethal Divya¹, Suresh N Nair¹, Leena Chandrasekhar², Mampillikalam Pradeep³, Ajith Jacob George³, Reghu Ravindran<sup>4*

1</sup>Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology; ²Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology; ³Veterinary Pathology; ⁴Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala- 673576, India.

*Correspondence | Reghu Ravindran, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, Kerala, India; Email: drreghuravi@yahoo.com

Abstract
Toxicological potential of Chromolaena odorata, a fast growing perennial weed was assessed in mice. Methanolic extract of C. odorata did not cause any mortality of mice. However, the oral feeding of extract resulted in sedation, loss of appetite, enteritis and decreased weight gain in treated mice. Significant elevation (P<0.05) of the serum glutamic oxalo-acetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) was observed along with decrease in the serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. No significant variation in the haematological parameters was observed in the treated mice except for the increase in counts of monocytes, lymphocytes as well as clotting and bleeding times. Gross pathological examination of extract treated mice revealed subcutaneous hemorrhages in different parts of the body, pale and friable liver, soft and congested lungs and kidneys. Histopathology of the liver revealed centrilobular necrosis with varying degrees of degenerative changes ranging from cloudy swelling to vacuolar changes of the periportal hepatic cells, congestion of the portal vein and proliferation of endothelial cells. Hence, the methanolic extract of invasive form of C. odorata found in the Wayanad region of Western Ghats of Indian subcontinent possesses severe toxic potential when given orally in mice.

Keywords | C. odorata, Enteritis, Centrilobular necrosis, Liver, Haemorrhages, Kidney, Lungs

Editor | Kuldeep Dhama, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Received | November 27, 2015; Revised | December 12, 2015; Accepted | December 14, 2015; Published | January 23, 2016

Citation | Paulose P, Juliet S, Sujith S, Sini M, Divya TM, Nair SN, Chandrasekhar L, Pradeep M, George AJ, Ravindran R (2016). Evaluation of toxicological potential of methanolic extract of Chromolaena odorata found in the Western Ghats of Indian subcontinent orally in mice. Adv. Anim. Vet. Sci. 4(2): 78-84.

ISSN (Online) | 2307-8316; ISSN (Print) | 2309-3331

Copyright © 2016 Paulose et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.