Safety of the Aqueous Extract of the Leaves of <i>Senna alata</i> (L.) Roxb. (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae), a Plant Used in Benin to Treat Infections

Abstract

Description of the Subject: Senna alata (L.) was a plant in the Benin pharmacopoeia used to treat skin infections. Objectives: The aim of our work was to test its harmlessness in vivo. Method: Wistar rats received by gavage a single dose of 2000 mg/kg of Senna alata leaves aqueous extract for the Acute Oral Toxicity (AOT) test. For the sub-Chronic Oral Toxicity (SCT) test, rats force-fed the extract at a daily dose of 300 mg/Kg of body weight for 28 days. The weight of the rats was taken and the blood samples were collected on Day 0, then respectively day 14 for the AOT and Day 28 for the SCT. The renal balance was carried out by dosage of the creatinine, the liver balance by the transaminases AST and ALT and the blood balance by the hemogram. The liver, kidneys and spleen were removed for histological analysis. The results were analyzed using the Student test, with the significance level set at 5%. Results: The weight of the rats did not change significantly in the acute or subchronic oral toxicity tests suggesting an absence of physical disturbance in the rats. Serum creatinine did not vary significantly, suggesting preservation of renal function. That was the same for ASAT and ALAT transaminases, indicating an absence of hepatic cytolysis. In hematology, the hemoglobin level and the number of blood platelets did not vary significantly, suggesting that the extract did not create anemia and did not influence blood coagulation. Hepatic, renal and splenic parenchyma showed no atypia. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Senna alata (L.) leaves did not reveal any acute or subchronic toxicity and offered prospects for its use in the treatment of infections.