PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, RENAL AND HAEMATOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PORTULACA OLERACEA (WHOLE PLANT) IN SWISS ALBINO MICE

Abstract

Portulaca oleracea (Family Portulacaceae) has been used all over the world for its nutritional and medicinal properties. It shows a number of pharmacological activities but very little information is known about its toxicity profile. The present study was undertaken to find its acute and subacute oral toxicity. In acute oral toxicity, four doses 500mg,1000mg,1500mg and 2000mg/kg b.w were administered orally to swiss albino mice with the help of oral feeding needle. In subacute oral toxicity, the doses of 200mg and 400mg/kg b.w were given. A total of 28 swiss albino mice, divided in different ^{groups were taken. Behavioural changes and LD}50 ^{were recorded in acute oral toxicity. In subacute oral toxicity studies, kidney function tests, hematological} and histopathological changes were recorded. The results showed that LD50 was 500mg/kg. There were behavioural and biochemical variations with no toxicity on kidney and spleen.