Acute Toxicity and in-Vivo Antidiarrhoeal Activity of Leaf Extracts of Acacia Nilotica from Nasarawa West, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The in vitro antibacterial activity of leaf extracts of Acacia nilotica has been demonstrated by several studies, including ours. Scientific evidence for in vivo use and safety need to be investigated. This study evaluates the acute toxicity and in vivo antidiarrhoeal activity of crude methanolic, aqueous, ethyl acetate and n-hexane leaf extracts of Acacia nilotica from Nasarawa West, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The acute toxicity and lethality (LD50) were determined in mice using standard protocol. Mice infected with diarrhoea-causing bacteria Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi and Shigella dysenteriae to induce diarrhea were treated with various doses of the extract, and observed for their response. All the crude extracts were acutely safe at the doses tested as there was zero death of the mice throughout the two weeks of the experiment. The oral LD50 is therefore, greater than 2000 mg/kg body weight. The crude extracts at 400 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg demonstrated antidiarrheal effect on bacteria-induced diarrhea in mice by their ability to significantly delay in the onset of diarrhea compared to the control group. The total number of stools (faeces) was significantly reduced and the amount of wet stool, which is influenced by fluid secretion, was significantly reduced in all the extract-treated groups compared to the control group. The results have shown that the leaf extracts of Acacia nilotica tested are both safe and have great potential in the treatment of diarrhoeal infection.