Journal of Ethnopharmacology and Toxicology | Volume 4 Issue 2 | Pages: 31-47 | Doi : 10.37446/jet/rsa/4.2.2026.31-47

Research Article

OPEN ACCESS | Published on : 05-Nov-2026

Twenty-eight-day repeated-dose oral toxicity study of fresh Costus lucanusianus stem sap in Wistar rats: biochemical, oxidative stress, and histopathological evaluation

• Mandah Emmanuel Samuel
• Department of Biomedical Technology, School of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

H. O. Asuzu-Samuel
• Department of Biomedical Technology, School of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

V. T. Ibubeleye
• Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: Costus lucanusianus Lam. is widely utilized in traditional medicine across parts of West Africa for the treatment of inflammatory disorders, fever, gastrointestinal ailments, and wound healing. Despite its extensive ethnomedicinal use, scientific evidence regarding the safety of repeated oral consumption of the fresh stem sap remains limited.

Methods: This study investigated the biochemical, oxidative stress, and histopathological effects of 28-day repeated-dose oral administration of fresh Costus lucanusianus stem sap in male Wistar rats. Twenty healthy adults male Wistar rats (90 to 156 g) were randomly allocated into four groups (n = 5). The control group received distilled water, while treatment groups received freshly expressed C. lucanusianus stem sap at doses of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight by oral gavage once daily for 28 consecutive days. Following treatment, serum biochemical indices of hepatic and renal function, lipid profile, hepatic oxidative stress biomarkers, and histopathological changes in the spleen and pancreas were evaluated using standard laboratory procedures.

Results: Repeated administration of the stem sap produced selective biochemical alterations. Serum alkaline phosphatase activity increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05), whereas creatinine and potassium concentrations exhibited treatment-dependent variations, with the greatest changes occurring at 400 mg/kg. Animals receiving the intermediate dose also demonstrated elevated serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, accompanied by a reduction in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Oxidative stress assessment revealed significantly increased hepatic malondialdehyde concentration together with reduced superoxide dismutase, catalase, and reduced glutathione activities at 400 mg/kg, indicating enhanced lipid peroxidation and compromised antioxidant defence. Histopathological examination showed mild lymphoid depletion and distortion of splenic architecture, as well as vacuolar degeneration and increased cellularity of pancreatic islet cells. These alterations were most evident in animals treated with 400 mg/kg, whereas the severity of histological alterations was reduced in animals receiving 600 mg/kg compared with the 400 mg/kg group.

Conclusion: Repeated oral administration of fresh C. lucanusianus stem sap produced mild to moderate biochemical, oxidative, and histopathological alterations. The observed non-linear dose-response suggests that the biological effects were not directly proportional to dose, although the mechanisms underlying this pattern remain unknown. These findings indicate relatively low 28-day repeated-dose oral toxicity under the experimental conditions employed but support the need for chronic toxicity studies, phytochemical standardization, and mechanistic investigations before the long-term safety of repeated consumption can be established.

Keywords

Costus lucanusianus, stem sap, 28-day repeated-dose oral toxicity, oxidative stress, histopathology, Wistar rats

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