Effects of various levels of dietary Artemisia abyssinica leaves on rats

Abstract

Artemisia abyssinica leaves, a traditional medicine for the treatment of various disorders, were fed to male Wistar rats at 2% and 10% of the standard diet for 6 weeks. A 2% A. abyssinica leaf diet was not toxic to rats. Depression in growth, hepatopathy and nephropathy were observed in rats fed a diet containing 10% of A. abyssinica leaves. These findings were accompanied by leukopenia, anaemia and alterations of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities with changes in concentrations of total protein, albumin, cholesterol and urea.