Acute Toxicity and Histopathological Evaluation of Seed and Stem Bark Extracts of Carapa procera D.C Meliaceae on Liver and Kidney of Male Wistar Rats

Background: Carapa procera D.C belongs to the family of Meliaceae is a medicinal plant used in the Ijaw area of Niger Delta for the management of diseases; seed for malaria while decotion of stem bark for erectile dysfunction in ethnomedicine. The aim of study is to assess the safety, toxicity on the liver and kidney in order to corroborate and regulate the use in humans.

Method: The seed and stem bark were extracted using n-hexane, dichloromethane, and 70% methanol via successive cold maceration. Acute toxicity profile was determined using the Lorke’s method. The LD50 for the crude seed and stem bark extract were determined to be at 866.03 and 447.21 mg/kg. Various doses of the LD50 (10, 20 and 30%) were administered daily to ninety male rats orally for 7 days. On the 8th day it was anaesthetized using chloroform, sacrificed, liver and kidney harvested for histological evaluation.

Results: The histological assessment revealed no distortion in organs assessed when compared to control excerpt the high dose crude seed extract which showed signs of toxicity.

Conclusion: The crude seed extract at high dose affect the liver due to distortion, steatosis and should not be used while at low and medium dose showed no alteration in the hepatic architecture.