Abstract

Cardiospermum halicacabum Linn. (Sapindaceae) is a climber, commonly found throughout India, used as a vegetable as well as traditional medicine for rheumatism and nervous diseases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the acute and sub-chronic oral toxicities of an ethanol extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum. An acute oral toxicity study conducted by giving dosage of 50, 100, 500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg bw of CH extract and the animals noted after 1 h administration of the extract and examined after 14 days of administration for mortality and morbidity. In sub-chronic oral toxicity studies, the selected oral doses 100,200, 500, mg/kg bw and the evaluation carried out after 90 days of oral administration of Cardiospermum halicacabum extract Biochemical, and hematological changes with the body and relative organ weights of the mice analyzed. The results of acute toxicity study statistically analyzed using one way ANOVA which suggested there is a significant change in body weight, organ weight function of liver and kidney and hematological parameters above 500 mg/kg bw. These findings point out the ethanolic extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum owns toxic effect on the dosage above 500 mg/kg of bw and the LD50 found to 900 mg/kg bw. In subchronic oral toxicity study the biochemical and haematological parameters of Cardiospermum halicacabum ethanolic extract treated mice have not shown any significant changes.