POLYHERBAL FORMULATION EFFECTS: ASSESSING ACUTE TOXICITY AND LIPID PROFILE IN SWISS MICE

ABSTRACT

Herbal medicine, deeply rooted in history and widely utilized across diverse cultures, presents promising therapeutic alternatives to modern medicine, yet necessitates thorough research to address safety concerns and ensure informed global usage. Aimed to evaluate the effect of the poly herbal formulation comprising of the dried fruits of Musa paradisiaca, The leaves of Cymbopogon citratus, the rhizome of Zingiber officinale and the seeds of Garcinia kola, this research is carried out using graded doses (25,50, and 100mg/kg) orally administered to Swiss mice using standard guidelines, atrophine and distilled water acting as positive and negative control respectively. Following the administration of the extract, the animals were monitored for mortality and any adverse effect during the acute toxicity studies and their blood tested to obtain the lipid profile results. The toxicity studies' outcomes revealed no acute behavioral changes with zero mortality occurrences. The lipid profile results showed no significant decrease in the total cholesterol, except for the 100mg/kg, there was considerable increase in the high density lipoprotein with the 50mg/kg dosage showing the highest increment. Moreover, the aqueous extract showcased promising outcomes, with significant reductions observed in both triglyceride and low density lipoprotein levels. Notably, the 50mg/kg dosage was found to be particularly effective in lowering these lipid markers. These findings therefore suggests that the herbal blend has a protective measure in lipid profiles without causing any adverse effects, thus validating some of the polyherbal medicinal importance.