Acute and chronic toxicity studies of Erythrina senegalensis DC stem bark extract in mice

The toxicity of chloroform stem bark extract of Erythrina senegalensis DC, a medicinal plant with anti-inflammatory activity, was studied in vivo and in vitro. The LD₅₀ i.p. of the extract was 526 mg/kg after an acute toxicity test (24 h). A brine shrimp lethality test with the extract gave LC₅₀ of 60.86 ppm. The chronic studies revealed alterations in the levels of biochemical markers of hepatic and cardiac damage. The alterations were, however, not significant except in the group fed the highest inclusion of the extract (1.0 g extract/kg feed) where significant (p < 0.05) increases in the activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase were observed. Hematological assessments of mice in this group showed significant (p < 0.05) decreases in the red blood cell count and the packed cell volume. Increases in the relative weights of the liver and heart were also significant (p < 0.05). Lipid peroxidation product levels assayed as malondialdehyde was significantly (p < 0.05) elevated in the groups fed 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg of feed at day 84. Significant histopathological changes like myocardial hemorrhages and degeneration of hepatocytes were observed in the heart and liver respectively.