Abstract:
The herb Orlhoxiphon stamineus, popularly known as balbas pusa, has been traditionally used as a cure lor kidney, liver, gall bladder and urinary tract infections. Many studies have demonstrated its efficacy as an alternative cure for diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. However, few studies dealt on the possible toxicity and side effects of this plant. This study aims to assess rat liver and kidney tissues for histopathological changes after 15-day administration of O. stamineus leaf methanol extract. Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were orally fed with O. stamineus methanol-leaf extract (5- and 50g/kg BW) supplemented in their diet for 15 days. The rats were sacrificed on the sixteenth day; liver and kidney were excised and processed for histological analysis. Kidney sections of rats treated with the O. stamineus leaf methanol-extract revealed decreased width of the Bowman's space, peritubular congestion, pyknosis and detachment of tubular cells. Liver sections, on the other hand, showed blood congestion in central vein and sinusoids, vacuolation of cytoplasm, and hyperchromatism and pyknosis of hepatocytes. These results suggest toxicity injuries at the histological level in the kidney and liver.
