Abstract

Musanga cecropioides is a plant widely used in many countries in Africa for the treatment of various diseases. However, few studies have been carried out to evaluate the toxicities of the different parts of this plant. This study aims to investigate the acute and the subacute toxicity of the aqueous extract obtained from the stem bark of Musanga cecropioides. The acute toxicity of M. cecropioides Aqueous Extract (MCAE) were first evaluated on mice to determine the DL50. Then 4 groups of male and female rats were subjected to subacute toxicity for 28 days, with daily oral administration of 200, 300 and 600mg/kg of aqueous extract. A fourth group of male and female rats serving as control took only distilled water. Body weight was monitored at the beginning, and weekly. On the 29 day the animals were sacrificed and then liver, kidney, heart, lungs, spleen, pancreas, testis and ovaries were removed for morphometric and histological examinations. The weight and blood were serving to evaluate hematological parameters, while serum was utilized to determine ALAT, ASAT, total protein, urea, lipid profile (Total Cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol). The results show that MCAE has an LD50 of over 2000mg/kg. In the subacute toxicity the weight gain between groups at the beginning and at the end did not show any significant difference. Relative organ weight was not affected by any treatment at doses used. The lipid profile, ASAT, ALAT, serum urea, total protein in treated groups did not show any important difference when compared with the control group in males and in females. Hematological results showed significant increase in hematocrit in males treated rats (p˂0.05) at 200mg/kg and reduce in platelets in female rats treated with 300mg/kg (p˂0.05). Histologically, neither gross abnormalities nor sign and symptoms of degeneration on the isolated organs at the end of study were seen. No mortality was recorded for the 28 days. These results reveal the safety of oral administration of the stem bark extract of Musanga cecropioides. Moreover, this plant could also have protective effects on the liver.

Keywords: Musanga cecropioides; Toxicity; Bark; Aqueous Extract; Rat; Mice

Abbreviations: MCAE: M. cecropioides Aqueous Extract; WBC: White Blood Cells; RBC: Red Blood Cells; PLT: Thrombocyte Count; HGB: Hemoglobin; HCT: Hematocrit; MCV: Mean Corpuscular Volume; MCH: Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin; MCHC: Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration; BUN: Blood Urea Nitrogen; Glu: Blood Glucose; TP: Total Protein; TG: Triglyceride ; TC: Total Cholesterol; HDL: High Density Cholesterol; LDL: LDL Cholesterol; AI: Atherogenic Index; ALAT: Alanine Transaminase; AST: Aspartate Transaminase; BW: Body Weight; LD50: Median Lethal Dose