Toxicological assessment of standardized Artemisia roxburghiana wall. ex Besser aqueous leaf extract to acute and subacute exposure in Albino mice

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Artemisia roxburghiana Wall. ex Besser is a well-known remedy for treating fever and diabetes. Natives of the Himalayan region use it to treat malaria, dysentery, rheumatism, and viral hepatitis. Aim: The current investigation aimed to evaluate the phytochemical profile, acute and sub-acute toxicity of the aqueous leaf extract of Artemisia roxburghiana. Methods: Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry determined the phytochemical profile. The potential toxicity of A. roxburghiana was evaluated by executing acute and sub-acute toxicity according to guidelines 423 and 407 of OECD. A single dose of 2 g/kg body weight was gavaged orally in acute toxicity. Animals were observed for memory impairment, depressive/anxiogenic behavior, and mortality for 14 days. In sub-acute toxicity, 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg body weight of extract was given for 28 days. Body weights, relative organ weights, hematological, histological, biochemical parameters, and endogenous antioxidants were assessed and compared with control. Results: LD50 was established to be > 2 g/kg body weight. No significant difference was observed between control and test groups for body weights, relative organ weights, behavioral, hematological, and biochemical studies in sub-acute toxicity. No signs of depletion of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation were observed. Histoarchitecture of the kidney, testes, ovaries, heart, liver, spleen and stomach of extract-treated groups was preserved and comparable to the control group. Conclusion: The extract was rich in bioactive compounds with determinate therapeutic benefits. The plant was safe in repeated administration for 28 days which justifies its expansive use in traditional medicine systems.