Pathological changes in some organs of rats administered sub-chronic doses of chloroform extract of Artemisia maciverae Linn

The effect of sub-chronic doses of chloroform extract of Artemisia maciverae Linn on the histology of the lungs, spleen, stomach and intestine of male Swiss albino rats was studied. The rats were randomly distributed into four groups of 24 animals each. The groups were respectively administered chloroform extract of Artemisia maciverae at 0, 50, 100 and 200mg/kg b.wt for 60 days (for those that survived) and then monitored till day 90 before sacrifice. Tissue specimens of the lungs, spleen, stomach and intestine were examined histopathologically after processing and staining with haematoxylin and eosin. At the onset of treatment (week one), the extract caused significant epithelial necrosis in the intestine of rats in the 50, 100 and 200mg/kg treatment groups compared with the control group. Surprisingly, no lesions were observed in the lungs, spleen and stomach of the rats in all the treatment groups and their controls. The intestinal lesions disappeared after week one of treatment. The results indicate that the extract may be toxic at a high dose, long and short term exposure.