Acute and sub-chronic (28 days) oral toxicity evaluation of hydroethanolic extract of Bridelia ferruginea Benth root bark in male rodent animals

The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the safety of hydro-ethanol extract of Bridelia ferruginea Benth (Euphorbiaceae) root bark. For acute toxicity study, a single dose of 2000 and 5000 mg/kg of the B. ferruginea root bark extract was given orally to healthy male Wistar rats and Balb/c mice. The animals were observed for mortality and clinical signs for 3 h and then daily for 14 days. In the sub-chronic toxicity study, the extract was administered orally at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day for 28 days to male Wistar rats. Animals were sacrificed to examine their organs, and urine and blood serum were analyzed. In the acute toxicity study, B. ferruginea root bark extract caused neither significant visible signs of toxicity, nor mortality in Wistar rats and Balb/c mice. In sub-chronic toxicity study, administration of the B. ferruginea root bark extract at 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg for 28 consecutive days to Wistar rats did not produce mortality. No significant differences were found in relative organ weights, biochemical studied parameters in treated groups compared to control group. No obvious histological changes were observed in organs of B. ferruginea extract treated animals compared to controls.