Effect of combination of Capsicum frutescens and Citrullus colocynthis on growth, haematological and pathophysiological parameters of rats.

The toxicity of diet containing 10% of Capsicum frutescens or 10% of Citrullus colocynthis fruits or their 1:1 mixture (5% + 5%) to rats treated for 6 weeks was evaluated. Body weight loss, inefficiency of feed utilization, diarrhoea, and enterohepatonephropathy characterized C. colocynthis toxicosis in rats. Despite impairment of rat's growth neither nephropathy nor diarrhoea was detected in rats fed the 10% C. frutescens diet. Feeding the mixture of C. frutescens and C. colocynthis caused more pronounced effects and death of rats. Vital organ lesions accompanied by anaemia and leucopenia were correlated with changes in serum ALP, AST and ALT activities with alterations in concentrations of total protein, albumin, urea and other serum constituents. Serum bilirubin concentration did not change.