Acute and subchronic toxicity assessment of the dichloromethane / methanol stem bark extract from Erythrina senegalensis DC (Fabaceae) in Wistar rats

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Résumé

Erythrina senegalensis is a medicinal plant used in sub-Saharan Africa to treat pain,
asthenia, inflammation, jaundice, malaria and infections. This work aimed to study the
phytochemistry, the acute and subchronic toxicity of the dichloromethane / methanol
stem bark extract from E. senegalensis. The phytochemical groups have been
characterized in the extract. The content of total polyphenols and flavonoids was
determined using the colorimetric methods of Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum
trichloride respectively. Acute toxicity was assessed in NMRI mice and the 28-day
subchronic toxicity in Wistar rats by oral gavage. Total polyphenols and flavonoids had
a high content in the extract. The DCM / MeOH extract, up to 1200mg / Kg of body
weight (bw), did not cause any mortality or modification of the behavior of the treated
mice. In the subchronic toxicity study by oral administration of 60 and 120mg / Kg of
bw of extract, neither the relative weight nor the biological parameters of renal or
hepatic impairment were significantly different from a group treated with the control
group (p > 0.05). Anatomopathological examination revealed no signs of toxicity of the
extract on the heart, lungs, spleen, liver and kidney. E. senegalensis is rich in
polyphenols. The doses administered did not induce any significant toxicity.

Mots-clés

E. senegalensis; Total polyphenolic content; Acute toxicity ; Subchronic toxicity