Acute Toxicity and Hypolipidemic Activities of Clove and Ginger Extract

Princewill-Ogbonna IL, Onwuka GI, OBASI NE and Ijioma S

Published on: 2025-01-20

Abstract

Clove and ginger are known spices with rich sources of bioactive compounds and are consumed in different parts of the world. Chronic toxicity study of ethanol extract of clove and ginger was carried out by oral administration using low dose of 1 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg body weight of albino rats. Acute toxicity was determined by oral administration of varying doses of 10 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg, 1600 mg/kg, 2900 mg/kg, 5000 mg/kg, and finally 10,000 mg/kg body weight of Albino rats. The effect of the extract on the lipid profile of the albino rats was also evaluated. No adverse effect was observed after the administration of 1 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg body weight of both clove and ginger extract on the albino rats. Also, no significant adverse effect was observed in albino rats after administration of the extract from both clove and ginger up to 5000 mg/kg body weight. However, 33.33 % and 100 % mortality of the Albino rats was observed after oral administration with 8000 mg/kg and 10,000 mg/kg body respectively. No mortality was observed in albino rats treated with higher doses of clove extract up to 10,000 mg/kg body weight. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were markedly reduced in all treated groups, with the most significant reduction in the group treated with 800 mg/kg of the combined ginger and clove extracts (13.69±2.17) compared to the control (35.00±1.70). Very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) levels also decreased significantly in all treated groups compared to the control (15.96±0.23), with the lowest value observed in the group treated with 800 mg/kg of ginger extract (14.25±0.34). The significant reduction recorded in the LDL-C, VLD-L and TAG shows that both the low doses (400 mg/kg) and the high doses (800 mg/kg) of ginger and clove and the combined extract of ginger and clove have the potential of improving the lipid profile of mice and, as such, can be used as supplements in improving the lipid profile of humans.