Innocuity of Ceiba pentandra Stem-bark Decoction Extract on Rodents

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Résumé

Traditional plant-based medicines are widely used and often consumed repeatedly at unstandardized doses, underscoring the need for rigorous safety evaluation alongside efficacy. C. pentandra is a multipurpose species whose stem bark is used in traditional remedies and shows pharmacological potential, yet its toxicological profile remains insufficiently characterized. Here, we evaluated the oralacute and subacutetoxicity of the stem-bark decoction of C. pentandra in rodents. Acute toxicity was assessed in NMRI mice following a unique oral administration of 2000 mg/kg, with clinical observation for 14 days. Subacute toxicity was assessed in Wistar rats receiving oral doses of 100, 400, or 800 mg/kg daily for a period of 28 consecutive days; animals were allocated to six groups (n = 5/group), including a control and a satellite group to evaluate delayed effects. No mortality or obvious signs of toxic effects were reported in mice at 2000 mg/kg, indicating an LD₅₀ above 2000 mg/kg. In the 28-day study, body-weight gain did not differ significantly between treated and control rats (p > 0.05), and relative organ weights (liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, heart, and adrenals) remained comparable across groups (p > 0.05). Haematological indices and serum biochemical parameters were likewise not significantly altered by treatment. Collectively, these findings suggest that the aqueous stem-bark decoction of C. pentandra does not elicit acute toxicity at 2000 mg/kg and is well tolerated under repeated oral exposure up to 800 mg/kg for 28 days, supporting its short- to medium-term safety within the tested dose range.

Mots-clés

Ceiba, Decoction, Acute toxicity, Toxicity, Oral administration, Median lethal dose