Acute and subacute oral toxicity of methanol fruit pulp extract of <i>Azanza garckeana</i> (Tula Kola nut) in adult male Wistar rats

Abstract

This study evaluated the safety profile of methanol fruit pulp extract of Azanza garckeana (MFEAG) in rats through single and 28-day oral administrations. Twenty-nine (29) adult male Wistar rats (weighing 130-240 g) were used for acute and subacute studies. In the acute study, MFEAG was administered sequentially at single doses of 300 and 2,000 mg/kg (48 hours apart) while its vehicle was administered to control at equal volumes (n = 3) and observed for 14 days for mortality or toxicity signs. For the subacute study, MFEAG was administered once daily for 28 days at 300, 600 and 1,200 mg/kg while the vehicle was administered to control (n = 5). The results revealed no death or treatment-related toxic signs and effects on body weight, Relative Organ Weights (ROW), biochemical parameters and tissue histology of brains, hearts, lungs, spleens, livers and kidneys of the rats after treatment with MFEAG compared to control, except for ROW of the lungs that was decreased (at 300 and 1,200 mg/kg), ROW of the hearts that was decreased (at 1,200 mg/kg) as well as the serum albumin and alanine aminotransferase levels that were respectively increased at 600 and 1,200 mg/kg doses of the extract after the subacute treatment. This study demonstrates the tolerability of MFEAG up to the dose of 2,000 mg/kg, except that it should be used with caution due to its possible systemic adverse effects on cardiopulmonary and hepatic systems when used at high doses and for long durations.