Full Length Research Paper

Acute and subacute toxicity study of ethanolic extract of the stem bark of Faidherbia albida (DEL) A. chev (Mimosoidae) in rats

Salawu A. Oluwakanyinsola¹, Tijani Y. Adeniyi¹, James A. Akingbasote¹* and Oga E.  Florence²

¹Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Idu, Abuja, Nigeria.

²Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Quality Control, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Idu, Abuja, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: jamestrustjah@yahoo.com. Tel.: +234-8057334638.

Accepted 13 August, 2009

   Abstract

Faidherbia albida (Del.) A. Chev (mimosoidae) is widely used in African traditional medicine (ATM) for management of fever, diarrhoea and human trypanosomiasis. Acute and sub-acute toxicity profiles of ethanolic stem bark extract of F. albida were evaluated in wistar albino rats. The acute toxicity was studied using the method of Lorke (1983). In the sub-acute toxicity study, four groups of six rats per group were used. The control group (1) received 10 ml normal saline/kg body weight while groups 2, 3 and 4 received oral daily doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg extract/kg body weight respectively for 21 days. The effects of the extract on clinical signs, feed and water intake, body weight changes, haematology, plasma biochemical parameters, relative organ weight (ROW) were evaluated. The oral LD₅₀ of the extract was estimated to be greater than 5000 mg/ kg body weight. The extract produced slight increase in body weight of rats given 125 mg extract/kg body weight. However, dose-dependent highly significant (P < 0.01) decrease in body weight was observed at 250 and 500 mg/ kg-treated rats in weeks 2 and 3 of the study. Feed and water intake was not affected by the treatment. ROW for all organs was not affected by the treatment except significant (P < 0.05) increase in the testes of rats treated with 250 and 500 mg extract/kg body weight. Although the treatment elicited highly significant (P < 0.01) changes in the levels of the hepatic and some of the haematological parameters, they were within the normal reference range for rats. This study revealed that while the stem bark of the plant may be considered relatively safe when used sub-acutely, further investigation is needed to ascertain its effect on the male reproductive system as well as its effect on chronic administration.   

Key words: Faidherbia albida, toxicity, haematology, liver function, testes.