EVALUATION OF ACUTE TOXICOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF Melia azedarach (MELIACEAE) HEXANIC FRUIT EXTRACT ON SWISS MICE

Abstract

This study was developed aiming to evaluate the acute effects of Melia azedarach hexanic fruit extract on mice. Two treated groups, one for each dose, 300 mg/kg and 2000 mg/kg, were prepared. For each treatment group, a non-treated control group was used. All groups were composed of six animals, three of each sex. The animals were evaluated at 30 min., 1h, 2h, 4h, 6h, 12h and 24h and then daily, for 14 days after treatment, following the Hippocratic screening. At each three days weight gain and ration consumption were evaluated. Macroscopic and microscopic alterations were evaluated in the heart, kidneys, lungs, liver, spleen, intestine and brain. No alteration in the Hippocratic screening in both doses, during the 14-days interval, was observed. The mice treated with the 2000 mg/kg doses consumed fewer rations than the animals of the control group; however, weight gain was statistically similar. No statistic difference was observed between the weight of the organs, and they had no macroscopic alterations. No histopathologic alterations were found on the examined organs, for both doses, except for lung alterations such as hyperaemia, haemorrage and edema in both treated and control groups. Based on the results obtained, we conclude that the hexanic extract of M. azedarach green fruits had no acute effects against Swiss mice.

KEYWORDS: acute effects; hexanic extract of green fruits; histopathology; Melia azedarach; Swiss mice.