Volume 13, Issue 2: 2023 - Article 18

Acute and sub-acute toxicity evaluation of aqueous decoction extract of Xylopia aethiopica fruit pods in post-partum female albino rats

Adachi L. Njoku*, Izuchukwu S. Ochiogu and Chike F. Oguejiofor
Department of Veterinary Obstetrics and Reproductive Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

Abstract
Decoction extracts of Xylopia aethiopica fruit pods are traditionally given to women immediately after childbirth in Eastern Nigeria, because of its widely believed benefits during the puerperium. There is however paucity of reports in available literature on the toxicity and safety of the extracts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute and sub-acute toxicity of aqueous decoction extract of Xylopia aethiopica fruit pod in female albino rats during the immediate post-partum period. The new three-stage method of acute toxicity testing with a fourth confirmatory (confidence) stage was used for the acute toxicity evaluation. In sub-acute toxicity evaluation, 16 female rats that just delivered their pups were used. They were randomly assigned to four groups (A, B, C and D), that were orally given 1000, 500, 250 and 0 mg/kg of the extract, respectively, from the day of delivery (day 0 post-partum) to day 7 post-partum. The Group D was the untreated control. Blood samples were collected from the rats on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 post-partum for haematological and serum biochemical assays, following standard procedures. Results showed that the administration of the decoction extract of X. aethiopica fruit pod up to 5000 mg/kg body weight in the acute toxicity test did not lead to any signs of toxicity or mortality. The sub-acute toxicity evaluation showed no obvious signs of toxicity in the females and their neonates and also no clinically significant alterations in erythrocytic and leukocytic parameters and serum biochemical markers of liver and kidney dysfunction. It was concluded that oral administration of Xylopia aethiopica fruit pod decoction extracts as used in this study was acutely and sub-acutely non-toxic, and was well tolerated by the female albino rats, post-partum.

Keywords: Xylopia aethiopica fruit pods; Acute toxicity; Sub-acute toxicity; Puerperium; Haematology; Serum biochemistry.

How to cite this article:
Njoku AL, Ochiogu IS and Oguejiofor CF (2023). Acute and sub-acute toxicity evaluation of aqueous decoction extract of Xylopia
aethiopica fruit pods in post-partum female albino rats. Journal of Veterinary and Applied Sciences, 13(2): 340 – 353.

* Correspondence: E-mail: adachy09@gmail.com    Phone: +2348064971383

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