Acute and Sub-acute Toxicity Evaluation in Rats of PPOJ5 and ADOJ6 Herbal Remedies Used Traditionally in the Management of HIV Infection

Abstract

The use of herbal medicine in the treatment of many ailments is on the rise. It’s a common practice in many rural communities where access to health care is poor but also in the developed world. There is however, no much attention paid to the potential toxicity of these herbal products. This study was conducted to determine the toxicity of two herbal remedies; PPOJ5 and ADOJ6, being used for the management of patients with HIV. Both acute and sub-acute toxicity were evaluated using a rat model. Liver, renal and haematological parameters were measured. PPOJ5 was found slightly toxic with an estimated LD50 of 1.341 g/kg body weight and it significantly elevated lymphocyte count. ADOJ6 was safe in both acute and sub-acute toxicity studies. There is a need to evaluate the extracts of both PPOJ5 and ADOJ6 on isolated human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) to determine their safety level and possible immunostimulatory effects of PPOJ5.