Subchronic Toxicological Assessment of Dr Iguedo Goko Cleanser® on Lipid Profile and Serum Antioxidant Enzymes in Exposed Wistar Rats

Dr Iguedo Goko Cleanser® is a polyherbal mixture promoted as an effective herbal remedy for numerous diseases. Study aimed to evaluate the toxicity concern of the polyherbal mixture (PHM) on lipid profile and oxidative status in Wistar rats of both gender. Acute toxicity study was conducted using modified method of Lorke. Thirty Wistar rats of bother gender were randomly divided into six groups (5/group) and exposed to the polyherbal mixture for 60 days via oral gavage. Control groups (1 and 4) received 10 mL/kg distilled water, while groups 2-3 and 5-6 received 476.24 and 158.75 mg/kg body weight of Dr Iguedo Goko Cleanser® respectively. On 62nd day, animals were sacrificed under diethyl ether anaesthesia; blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture for biochemical analysis. PHM significantly (p < 0.05) increased high density lipoproteins (HDL) levels in male rats as well as high dose female rats relative to control. However, low dose female rats recorded low HDL levels relative to control. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density and very low density lipoprotein levels were significantly reduced in all test groups relative to controls. The low dose males (LDM) had reduced serum glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity; while increased and decreased GPX and glutathione (GSH) activities were respectively recorded for female rats. Male rats had dose-dependent increase in malondialdehyde. The recorded reductions in serum lipids suggest that the polyherbal mixture may have hypolipidemic potentials. While the increased malondialdehyde as well as decreased GPX and GSH indicate lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress inducing potentials of the PHM. Despite the positive modulation on lipid profile, findings suggest utmost caution on chronic use as its oxidative stress inducing potentials is considerable.