Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: Nasturtium officinale is a leafy vegetable of the Brassicaceae family used as a home remedy or a medicinal plant due to anticancer, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the water extract of N. officinale administered daily for 60 days at dose levels of 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight in male Wistar rats. The effects on haematological and serum biochemical parameters were measured as indices of organ toxicity. The behaviour of rats was assessed in two animal models of anxiety, the open field test and the elevated plus-maze. After sixty-day intake of N. officinale water extract by gavage, the rats showed no significant changes in behavioural outcomes. The extract did not affect the biochemical profile related to serum lipid metabolism (TG, total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL) and markers of liver and kidney function (AST, ALT, total protein, albumin, and creatinine). However, a significant reduction in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and BUN levels occurred in the treated groups. The extract did not affect WBC, RBC, Hb, HCT MCH, MCHC, MCV levels. It also produced no alteration in the body weight gain and relative weight of the organs. This study confirms that water extract of N. officinale administered up to the dose of 1000 mg/kg for long term is not likely to produce toxic effects on some organs or haematological and biochemical indices in rats.

Key words: Nasturtium officinale, blood cell counts, behaviour