INTRAPERITONEAL AND ORAL ACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM IN SWISS ALBINO RATS

Ene, A. C., *Onodagu, V. C., Ekwughaonu, E. O., Ndupu, R. O., Okoro, N. Band Amah, G. C.

The acute toxicity of aqueous leaf extract of Chrysophyllum albidum was evaluated in Swiss albino rats. The rats were randomly distributed into four groups of three animals each for the first phase of treatment. The groups were respectively administered both intraperitoneally and orally aqueous leaf extract of Chrysophyllum albidum at 0, 10, 100 and 1000mg/kg body weight in a single dose. In the second phase of the experiment for intraperitoneal administration, the albino rats were randomly distributed into four groups of three animals each and the groups were administered single doses of the extract at 0, 1000, 2900 and 5000mg/kg body weight. For oral administration, the rats were also divided into four groups of 3 animals each and were administered single doses of the extract at 0, 1600, 2900 and 5000mg/kg body weight and monitored frequently for 24h and 14 days respectively in both phases. The number of deaths in each group was recorded. The intraperitoneal LD50 of the aqueous leaf extract of Chrysophyllum albidum was calculated to be 1265mg/kg. The results indicate that the extract may be very toxic at a high dose and short term exposure when administered intrapeitoneally. For the oral intubation, no mortality was observed in the albino rats. All the animals showed a positive gain in body weight throughout the study. The oral LD50 of aqueous leaf extract of Chrysophyllum albidum was estimated to be above 5000mg/kg body weight and the plant extract was said to be safe and non-toxic when taken through the oral route.