Acute and Sub-chronic Toxicological Studies of Citrus aurantium Fruit Juice in Wistar Rats

Citrus aurantium remains an excellent source of vitamins and phytochemicals. C. aurantium has been associated with lots of medicinal uses ranging from weight management to the treatment of nausea, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. This study therefore aimed at determining the acute and sub-chronic toxic effects of C. aurantium (Lemon) fruit juice in Wistar rats. The median lethal dose (LD50) for the extract was determined by Lorke’s method. A total of 20 rats of mean weight of 125 ± 5 g randomized into 4 groups of five rats each was used for the study. Groups B, C and D were administered 2ml/kg, 4ml/kg and 8ml/kg bodyweight of the extract for 3 months while group A served as the control. Random blood glucose levels of rats were monitored on monthly basis. Blood samples were collected for various biochemical assays like kidney and liver functions, serum lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activity, lipid profile, lipid peroxidation and electrolyte levels using standard diagnostic methods. Results showed a lethal dose of 70ml/kg body weight. Creatinine and urea levels were observed to decrease markedly in groups C and D against control. Significant reductions in the liver function parameters were noted for the test groups when compared with the control with a comparative significant (p<0.05) increase in the activity of lactate dehydrogenase within the test groups. There was also a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides within the test groups as compared with the control. The findings suggest that prolonged administration of C. aurantium does not exert any serious chronic toxicity involving tissue and organ damage. It can also be inferred that the fruit juice of C. aurantium could be employed to remedy numerous maladies that affect the body based on the lethal dose.