Chronic Toxicity of Purwoceng Root Extract: The Biochemical and Histopathological Effects on Rat Liver and Kidneys

Purwoceng, a native Indonesian plant, has been traditionally used for its aphrodisiac, diuretic, and tonic effects. Despite its long history, the chronic effects of Purwoceng have not been fully understood. This study analyzed the chronic toxicity effects of the ethanol extracts of Purwoceng roots on the liver and kidneys in white male rats.

We conducted post-tests for liver histopathology and pre- & post-tests for SGOT, SGPT and urea-creatinine levels. The treatments were administered over 90 days on 32 rats, which were randomly divided into four groups, consisting of a control group (A), and three treatment groups receiving doses of 21 mg/kg/day (B), 42 mg/kg /day (C), and 84 mg/kg/day (D).

The chronic administration of Purwoceng root extracts at various doses did not significantly increase the SGOT and SGPT levels, but increased the levels of urea and creatinine at 21 and 42 mg/kg/day, respectively. The histopathological analyses revealed that the extracts caused some cellular damages in the liver at 42 mg/kg/day. The minimal toxic dose for the chronic administration of the extract was 21 mg/kg/day. However, determining a safe dose for the chronic administration of the extract was not possible, as even the control group showed increases in SGOT, SGPT and urea-creatinine levels. However, at 21 mg/kg/day, the extract did not cause liver histological damages.

The chronic administration of Purwoceng extract did not affect the liver function but caused histological damages in the liver cells and affected the kidneys function.