Oral Acute Toxicity (LD50) Study of Methanol Extracts of Alstonia Boonei Root Bark in Mice

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the oral acute toxicity (LD50) of methanol extract of root bark of Alstonia boonei, a medicinal plant used locally by the people of South East Nigeria to treat conditions like Malaria, Insomnia, Diarrhea and rheumatic pains. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, three groups of mice (4 per group) were given respective oral doses of 10mg, 100mg and 1000mg/kg body weight of the extract and observed, in 24hours, 72hours and up to four weeks. In the second phase, another three groups of mice (4 per group) were administered with increased doses of the extract 1600mg, 2900mg and 5000mg/kg weight). These were monitored as in the phase one study. It was observed that when the extract was administered up to a dose of 5000mg/kg body weight, no death was recorded among all the animals under investigation. Histological (H & E x400) examination of liver sections of animals showed relatively normal histological features (normal sinusoid with intact hepatic cytoarchitecture). It is thus concluded that administration of the extract to mice is safe at any dose less than or equal to 5000mg/kg body weight.