Effect of ethanolic stem-bark extract of Blighia unijugata on body and organ weight, biochemistry, and hematology in Sprague-Dawley rats

Introduction: While the efficacy of Blighia unijugata against various conditions has been scientifically validated, very little is known of its safety in normal rats. This study aimed to assess the toxic effects of the ethanolic stem bark extract of Blighia unijugata (EBU) on body and organ weight, biochemistry, and hematology of Sprague Dawley rats following repeated oral administration. Method: Twenty (20) male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly selected into four groups (n = 5) and administered distilled water or EBU at doses of 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg respectively for 28 days. For each group, percentage changes in body and organ weight, serum lipid profile, fasting blood glucose levels, liver, and kidney functions, and the various hematological variables were determined. Results: EBU treatment  (50-200 mg/kg body weight) caused no significant changes (p>0.05) in the body weight and the relative organ weight of the heart, kidney, and spleen. Similarly, no significant changes (p>0.05) were observed in the lipid profile (Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides, High-Density Lipoproteins, Low-Density Lipoproteins, and Very Low-Density Lipoproteins), fasting blood glucose, serum urea, creatinine, albumin, globulin, total protein, total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and the hematological measures, except for a significant reduction (p ≤ 0.05) in Alkaline Phosphatase after treatment with 200 mg/kg EBU. Conclusion: Overall, this investigation underscores that EBU administration did not cause significant effects on the evaluated parameters, suggesting relative safety within the experimental conditions. However, for potential clinical trials and human use, additional studies such as chronic toxicity assessments across diverse animal models and dosage ranges are recommended. Keywords: Blighia unijugata; biochemistry, hematology, body weight, organ weight