Study of the Toxicity of Aqueous Extract of Picralina nitida Stapf (Fabaceae) in Mus musculus (Muridae) Mice

The toxicological study of Picralima nitida (Fabaceae) involved determining the acute toxicity of an aqueous extract of the plant's fruit on mice. This study was carried out by gavage (oral) and intraperitoneally, and enabled us to observe the symptomatic behaviour of single doses of this extract administered to mice and to determine toxicological parameter such as the 50% lethal dose (LD50, the dose that kills 50% of the experimental animals) with the 95% confidence limit. Acute toxicity results show that the aqueous fruit extract of Picralima nitida (EAPn) is non-toxic by gavage (LD50 >5000 mg/kg Body Weight). By the intraperitoneal route, this extract has an LD50 = 1166.6 mg/kg Body Weight. According to Diezi's classification, EAPn is of little or low intraperitoneal toxicity in rats. The oral route is therefore recommended for the administration of this plant.