Volume 13

October-December 2021​

Acute toxicity study of Euphorbia helioscopia L. aqueous extract in Swiss albino mice

Mounira Merghem, Nawel Merouani, Wafa Nouioua​

Abstract:

Euphorbia helioscopia is an important medicinal herb species in the family Euphorbiaceae. Plants of Euphorbia have been used in the traditional medicine for treatment of cancers, tumors and warts for hundreds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vivo toxicity of aqueous extract of Eeuphorbia helioscopia in Swiss albino mice. The extract was administered orally at doses of 2000 mg/kg and 5000 mg/kg and then observed individually for the first four hours, then over a period of 24 hours and at least once daily for 14 days. The findings of this study suggest that the aqueous extract of Euphorbia helioscopia did not cause any mortality or signs of toxicity in all treatment groups. Also, there were no differences in body weight, food consumption, organ weights between controls and treated animals, and no change in the biochemical parameters. This suggests that the aqueous extract of Euphorbia helioscopia is nontoxic and safe by oral administration in mice.

Keywords: Euphorbia helioscopia, Acute Toxicity, Biochemical Analysis, Body Weight.