Acute and sub-acute oral toxicity of the methanol extract of <i>Adansonia digitata</i> fruit pulp.

Abstract

Most rural and urban-based communities in Africa rely on traditional remedies for their primary healthcare. One probable reason for this is the assumption that they are free of harmful side effects and toxicity, compared to orthodox drugs. However, very few plants have been thoroughly evaluated for their toxic effects. Adansonia digitata (A. digitata) also known as (Baobab) is a member of the Malvaceae family. Almost all components of the tree are utilized in traditional African medicine. The present study evaluated the potential toxicity of methanol extract from the fruit pulp of Adansonia digitata through acute and sub-acute oral administration in rats. The acute oral toxicity study was done according to Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines no 425 using a limit dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight (BW). Sub-acute oral toxicity using (250, 500, and, 1000 mg/kg BW) was performed by daily administration for 28 days according to the OECD guideline 407. The acute toxicity study revealed no lethal effects and behavioral signs of toxicity at the tested dose indicating that LD is greater than 2000mg/kg. In the sub-acute study, no significant difference was observed in the body weight, organ weight, liver, and kidney parameters in all treated groups compared to the control. A non-significant decrease in packed cell volume (PCV) was observed across the groups. Also, a significant increase in the white blood cell count and a decrease in the lymphocyte count occurred in the group treated with 250 mg/kg BW. These results show that methanol extract of Adansonia digitata fruit pulp is generally safe on short-term use but can cause changes in haematological parameters on long-term use.