World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

ACUTE AND SUBACUTE TOXICITY OF THE AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF THE STEM BARKS OF PAUSINYSTALIA YOHIMBE (K.SCHUM.) PIERRE EX BEILLE, IN LABORATORY RODENTS

*Akassa Herman, Landry Martial Miguel, Tamboura Hamidou Hamadou and Abena Ange Antoine

ABSTRACT

The acute toxicity study was performed in accordance with guideline 407. Mice were given the aqueous extract of Pausinystalia yohimbe (1000, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg) orally for 14 days. The subacute toxicity study was also performed according to the guideline 407. To assess subacute toxicity, rats were gavaged for 28 days at the dose of 250 mg/kg aqueous extract of Pausinystalia yohimbe. The results obtained after the acute toxicity study show that oral administration of Pausinystalia yohimbe aqueous extract (1000, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg) does not alter the general behavior of mice and does not cause mortality in animals up to the dose of 5000 mg/kg. The effects of Pausinystalia yohimbe aqueous extract on weight growth for 14 days in mice showed significant increases (p<0.05) in body gain in mice treated with the extract compared to those given distilled water. Administration of aqueous extract of Pausinystalia yohimbe (250 mg/kg, po), for 28 days caused a significant increase (p< 0.05) in ponderal growth and did not affect (P?0.05) organ weights (liver, heart, kidney) in rats. On the other hand, the administration of aqueous extract of Pausinystalia yohimbe aqueous extract at the dose of 250 mg/kg caused a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the number of white blood cells and lymphocytes in rats on the one hand and a non-significant decrease in the hematocrit rate, the number of red blood cells as well as that of platelets on the other hand. These results suggest that the aqueous extract of the stem barks of Pausinystalia yohimbe is a material whose use is favorable in pharmacology and justifies its use in traditional medicine in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

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