Original
Research Article
Open
Access
Safety
Evaluation of Ethanol Leaf Extract of Picralima nitida Stapf
(Apocynaceae)
1Ilodigwe
EE, 1Okoye GO, 1Mbagwu IS, 1Agbata
CA, *1Ajaghaku DL
International
Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics
2012,
2(4):6-17.
1Department
of Pharmacology
and Toxicology,
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
NnamdiAzikiwe
University
, Agulu Campus, Anambra state,
Nigeria
ABSTRACT:
The
safety of the ethanol leaf extract of P. nitida, a
popular Nigerian traditional antidiabetic remedy was
investigated. For the acute toxicity
study,
1000 – 5000 mg/kg of the ethanol leaf extract were
administered to albino mice and obvious toxic symptoms
and mortality
24
h postadministration of the extract were determined. The
median lethal dose (LD50) of the extract was
determined. In the subchronic
study,
750-3000 mg/kg of the extract were administered daily
for 90 days. The food and water consumption, body weight
changes, as well
as
heamatological and biochemical parameters were
determined periodically. The
phytochemical constituents of the extract were
also
investigated.
Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of
alkaloids, saponins and tannins.The estimated LD50
was upto 5000 mg/kg.
There
was no reduction in body weight and non- significant (p
> 0.05) alteration in Hb concentration, PCV and RBC
count. However,
there
were significant (p < 0.05) elevation of WBC count,
ALT, AST and ALP at the 61st and 91st
days of the study. Hepatic
photomicrograph
reveals liver cell degeneration and rupture of the
hepatocytes at high doses. At lower dose (750 mg/kg) no
significant
(p
> 0.05) change was recorded for all the tested
parameters. This study suggests that the leaf extract of
P. nitidais
safe at low doses
but
may be toxic when used chronically at higher doses.
Key
words: P.
nitida,
toxicity, biochemical and heamatological
parameters
