Fig. 1. Dose-mortality curve for Herniaria glabra-extract in mice (single oral doses). For experimental details, see text and footnote to Table 1: calculated LD₅₀ = 8.50 ± 0.42.

Fig. 2. (A) Effect of sub-chronic oral administration of Herniaria glabra-extract on the body weight of rats. The plant extract was given daily by the oral route for 90 days to groups of Wistar rats (n = 10 per group) at the following doses: 0 g/kg (HG₀, control), 1 g/kg (HG₁), 2 g/kg (HG₂), and 4 g/kg (HG₄). The rats were weighed before the start of HG-extract treatment (D₀) and then every 30 days (D₃₀, D₆₀ and D₉₀). Data are expressed as mean ± S.E.M.; (*) P < 0.05; (**) P < 0.01; (***) P < 0.001 versus the control group. (B) Effect of sub-chronic oral administration of Herniaria glabra-extract on the body weight of rats: % change in the weights of rats compared to the pre-treatment values (for treatment protocol, see the text and the legend to (A)).

Fig. 3. Effect of sub-chronic oral administration of Herniaria glabra-extract on biochemical parameters of rats. The aqueous extract of the plant was given daily by the oral route to groups of Wistar rats (n = 10 per group) at the following doses: 0 g/kg (HG₀, control), 1 g/kg (HG₁), 2 g/kg (HG₂), and 4 g/kg (HG₄) for 90 days. Biochemical parameters were measured before () and after 90 days of treatment (). Panel A: glucose; Panel B: creatinine; Panel C: alanine aminotransferase (ALT); Panel D: aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Data are expressed as mean ± S.E.M.; (**) P < 0.01; (***) P < 0.001 versus the control group.

Fig. 4. Effect of sub-chronic oral administration of Herniaria glabra-extract on hematological parameters of rats. The aqueous extract of the plant was given daily by the oral route to groups of Wistar rats (n = 10 per group) at the following doses: 0 g/kg (HG₀, control), 1 g/kg (HG₁), 2 g/kg (HG₂), and 4 g/kg (HG₄) for 90 days. Hematological parameters were measured before () and after 90 days of treatment (). Panel A: erythrocytes; Panel B: leukocytes; Panel C: platelets; Panel D: neutrophils; Panel E: basophils; Panel F: eosinophils; Panel G: lymphocytes; Panel H: monocytes. Data are expressed as mean ± S.E.M.; (*) P < 0.05; (**) P < 0.01; (***) P < 0.001 versus the control group.

Fig. 5. (A) Photomicrographs of the sections of the liver showing normal features in control rats (P1), and the liver of rats treated orally with 4 g/kg of HG-extract for 90 days showing a marked centrolobular sinusoidal congestion (P2), a disruption of the central vein and hepatocellular necrosis (P3). See text for experimental details. (B) Photomicrographs of the sections of the kidney showing normal features in control rats (P1), and the liver of rats treated orally with 4 g/kg of HG-extract for 90 days showing marked interstitial and intraglomerular congestion (P5) with inflammatory infiltration (P6). See text for experimental details.

Acute toxicity of a lyophilized aqueous extract of Herniaria glabra administered orally to mice

The lyophilized aqueous extract of Herniaria glabra, dissolved in distilled water, was administered orally; each dose was administered to groups of 10 mice (5 males, 5 females). All the treated animals were carefully examined for 14 days for any signs of toxicity (behavioral changes and mortality).

D/T: dead/treated mice; none: no toxic symptoms were seen during the observation period; latency: time to death (in days) after the dose.