Biochemical and Hematological Effect of Cordyla pinnata Following Acute and Sub-Acute Exposure to Rattus norvegicus

Background: Cordyla pinnata (C. pinnata) is commonly used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. The aim of this study was to assess the toxic and safety potentials of the methanol extract of C. pinnata in rats.  Methods: The methanol extract of C. pinnata was administered to the rats orally once daily at a dose of 0, 150, 300 or 600 mg/kg, body weight for 21 days. The toxicity was assessed using mortality rate, clinical signs, body and organ weights, hematological and serum chemistry indices. Results: The extract at 150, 300 or 600 mg/kg significantly decreased (p<0.05) the serum alanine aminotransferase and sodium, but increased the urea concentration compared with those in the controls. There were no significant treatment-related alterations in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, bilirubin, total proteins, chloride and creatinine. Also, the serum hematological parameters including Hemoglobin (HB), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentrations (MCHC) and Red Blood Cell (RBC) did not change significantly (p<0.05). However, there were significant increases (p<0.05) in White Blood Cell (WBC) and platelet counts, in weight gain and relative liver, kidney, lung and heart body weight ratio in the rats treated with 600 mg/kg of the extract compared with those in the controls.  Conclusion: The C. pinnata extract was safe and non-toxic to the rats’ liver and blood components at doses up to 600 mg/kg for a period of 21 days. However, alterations found in the markers of kidneys integrity call for exercising caution when using this extract orally as a long-term remedy.