LAUSR

Terminalia avicennioides is a member of the Combretaceae family with a lot of medicinal properties. This study aims to investigate the effects of aqueous extract of T. avicennioides root barks on biochemical and haematological parameters of Wistar rats. Male rats were distributed randomly into four groups (A–D) and orally administered aqueous root bark extract of T. avicennioides (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight) for 7 days. Liver, kidney and serum enzymes, function indices and malondialdehyde, as well as haematological parameters were monitored. The extract significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and gamma glutamyltransferase in the liver, serum alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, serum conjugated bilirubin and malondialdehyde in the liver and kidney. The extract also significantly (p < 0.05) elevated the levels of alkaline phosphatase in the liver and kidney, serum gamma glutamyltransferase, total protein, urea, Na+, K+, Cl− and HCO3−. The extract did not significantly (p > 0.05) alter kidney alkaline phosphatase at 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight, liver alanine aminotransferase at 250 and 1000 mg/kg body weight and serum chloride ions at 250 mg/kg body weight, serum total bilirubin, albumin, creatinine and haematological parameters at all the experimental doses. Overall, the findings in this study revealed that the extract at 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight when administered repeatedly for 7 days has adverse effects on hepatic and renal functions without evidence of systemic toxicity.