Hindawi Publishing Corporation Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2013, Article ID 414821, 6 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/414821 Research Article Subacute and Reproductive Oral Toxicity Assessment of the Hydroethanolic Extract of Jacaranda decurrens Roots in Adult Male Rats Joyce Alencar Santos, 1 Aline Arruda, 1 Claudia Andrea Lima Cardoso, 2 Maria do Carmo Vieira, 3 Ana Cláudia Piccinelli, 1 Diana Figueiredo de Santana Aquino, 1 Cândida Aparecida Leite Kassuya, 1 and Arielle Cristina Arena 1,4 1 School of Health Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Caixa Postal-322, Dourados, MS, Brazil 2 Mato Grosso do Sul State University, Caixa Postal-351, Dourados, MS, Brazil 3 School of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Caixa Postal-533, Dourados, MS, Brazil 4 Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, S˜ ao Paulo State University (UNESP), Distrito de Rubi˜ ao Junior, S/N, Caixa Postal-510, 18618970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil Correspondence should be addressed to Arielle Cristina Arena; ariellearena@ibb.unesp.br Received 27 August 2013; Revised 4 October 2013; Accepted 14 October 2013 Academic Editor: Ulysses Paulino Albuquerque Copyright © 2013 Joyce Alencar Santos et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Jacaranda decurrens subsp. symmetrifoliolata Farias & Proenc ¸a (Bignoniaceae) is a species traditionally used for the treatment of infammatory and infectious diseases. Previous fndings from our group reported scientifcally that J. decurrens has anti- infammatory efcacy. However, more toxicological studies are needed to support and ensure its safe use. Te present study was carried out to evaluate the toxic efects of a prolonged treatment with hydroethanolic root extract of J. decurrens (EJD) on hematological, biochemical, and reproductive parameters in adult male rats. Te animals received by oral gavage 0; 250; 500; or 1000 mg/kg body weight of EJD for 28 days. Afer the treatment, biochemical, hematological, histopathological, and reproductive parameters were analyzed. Te EJD treatment did not cause adverse efects on body weight gain, feed and water consumption, hematological and biochemical profles, or histopathological analysis of liver and kidney. Similarly, there were no statistically signifcant diferences in reproductive parameters, such as sperm production, number of sperm in the epididymis, and sperm morphology. Tese results demonstrate the absence of subacute toxicity as a result of the oral treatment with EJD for 28 days in adult male rats. However, other studies should be performed to evaluate the total safety of this plant. 1. Introduction In recent years, natural health products have been increas- ingly used worldwide, particularly herbal products [1]. One reason for the widespread use of medicinal species is the belief that these products from medicinal plants are risk free and considered by patients to be a safe alternative for the treatment of several diseases [2]. However, few plants selected for medicinal use have been scientifcally studied to assess their quality, safety, and efcacy [3]. Tus, studies of acute toxicity and toxicity afer repeated doses are required by the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) to regulate and register phytotherapic products in order to evaluate the safety of their use [4]. Jacaranda decurrens subsp. symmetrifoliolata Farias & Proenc ¸a (Bignoniaceae), traditionally known as “carobinha- do-campo,” “carobinha,” or “caroba,” is an endemic species found in the Brazilian states of Goias, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, and S˜ ao Paulo [5]. According to folk medicine, the leaves and/or the roots were prepared in form of infusion, decoction, and “garrafadas” against infammatory diseases and infections [6]. Pharmacological evaluations have reported that species from Jacaranda genus have antioxidants [7], antimicrobials