Abstract
Purpose: To determine the dose – toxicity profile of the aqueous extract of Nauclea latifolia stem bark (AQE). Methods: Oncin France Souche A (OFA) rats were orally administered with AQE at doses of 1.8, 18 and 180 mg/kg body weight for 28 days. In parallel, oral acute toxicity test in Swiss mice was performed with AQE at doses of 2, 4, 8 and 18g/kg body weight. Blood, urine and other biochemical markers were assessed for the rats. Results: No death was observed after 14 days of single oral administration, and hence the LD50 was > 18g/kg body weight. For sub-acute toxicity in OFA rats, an elevation of some blood parameters (platelets and erythrocytes but also eosinophils) in contrast to the low serum concentrations of biochemical markers such as aminotransferases (ALT, AST) and creatinine were recorded in rats treated with 18 and 180 mg/kg body weight. Urine analysis showed high depletion of sodium and potassium ions coupled with high loss of water. Conclusion: Known for its diuretic property, the AQE could be beneficial against anemia and may favor blood coagulation but unfortunately may exhibit allergenic properties and cause inflammatory reactions. This study suggests the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) of AQE range between 1.8 and 18 mg/kg body weight in OFA rats.
Highlights
Nauclea latifolia (Rubiaceae) commonly known as pin cushion tree is a straggling shrub or small tree native to tropical Africa and Asia and it grows up to an altitude of 200 m
Infusions and decoctions of parts of Nauclea latifolia are commonly prescribed traditionally as a remedy for diabetes mellitus and it has been reported that the aqueous extract of Nauclea lalitifolia had been found to exert hypoglycaemic activity in alloxan-induced diabetic rats [1]
The few data on the plant toxicity revealed that the LD50 was higher than 1600 mg/kg/bw after intraperitoneal (IP) injection of mice [14] and alkaloid rich extracts from the Nauclea latifolia can interact in vitro with DNA of bacteria and mammalian cells, leading to G2-M cell cycle arrest and heritable DNA-damage and cause single-strand breaks in liver, kidney and blood cells [15]
Summary
Nauclea latifolia (Rubiaceae) commonly known as pin cushion tree is a straggling shrub or small tree native to tropical Africa and Asia and it grows up to an altitude of 200 m. More recently, it has been reported that repeated administration for 28 days of high doses (200, 400, 600 and 800 mg/kg body weight) of aqueous extract of Nauclea latifolia evident stem may lead to damage in the kidney and liver [16]. In Côte d’Ivoire, the aqueous extract of stem bark of N. latifolia (AQE) is largely and daily used against malaria and its symptoms such as fever. In these circumstances, the toxicity of plant after oral repeated administration must be clarified. Each group received the appropriate vehicle (water) and AQE daily by oral administration for 28 days. At 95% confidence interval, p values < 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant
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