ACUTE AND SUB-ACUTE ORAL TOXICITY STUDIES OF ARTABOTRYS THOMSONII OLIV (ANNONACEAE) LEAVES AQUEOUS EXTRACT IN WISTAR RAT

Artabotrys thomsonii is a medicinal plant used in the African pharmacopoeia for the treatment of various diseases. It was therefore important to assess its potential risk to human and animal health. This study highlights the acute and sub-acute effects of the toxicological profile of A. thomsonii leaves aqueous extract. The extract was prepared using the traditional protocol, then administered orally to Wistar rats at a single dose of 2000mg/kg for acute test, and of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg once a day for 28 days for  sub-acute test. In acute toxicity, no behavioral disturbances were observed in treated animals compared with the control. The lethal dose 50 was estimated to be greater than 2000mg/kg and the extract was noted to possess low toxicity. Similarly, no significant changes in body mass, relative organ mass, hematological or biochemical parameters were observed after 28 days of repeated administration of the extract. Furthermore, administration of the extract did not alter motor coordination or develop anxiety in sub-acute treatment. Histological sections revealed that A. thomsonnii extract tall tested doses did not induce any damage in the liver, kidneys and heart compared with control group. These results indicate that the use of Artabotrys thomsonii leaves aqueous extract at all the doses tested would not be associated with any notable toxic effects, at least at the limit of exposure time observed in the present study.