ACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF ETHYL ACETATE METABOLIC EXTRACT OF ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI ISOLATE OF MITRCARPUS SCABER

Abstract

Safety or toxicity assessment of newly discovered endophytes with potential therapeutic applications is very crucial prior to their approval for human use. This is to ascertain the possible undesirable outcomes of the drug agents within a shortterm of 24 h of administration (acute toxicity). This study was TIMBOU-AFRICA ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, NOVEMBER, 2023 EDITIONS VOL. 15 NO. 3 ISSN: 2373-1340 INTERNATIONAL JOUNAL OF: SOCIAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH TIMBOU-AFRICA ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS NOVEMBER, 2023 EDITIONS, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF: TIJSHMR 2 SOCIAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH VOL. 15 ISSN: 2373-1340 roots, fruits, seeds, barks as well as the flowers could be useful as both traditional and allopathic medicines (Abiole,2022). Mitracarpus scaber aimed at determining the adverse effects that could be observed within a short-term of 24 h of oral administration of multiply doses of metabolic ethyl acetate extracts of leaf parts of Mitracarpus scaber to rodents. In determining the median lethal dose (LD50) of the crude extract, a method described by Lork was followed, which involves two phases of administration of test drug to experiment animals. In the first phase, oral gavage needle in a single dose disposable syringes were used to administer three dose levels (10, 100, and 1000 mg/kg) of ethyl acetate extract to mice of three in a group. Under critical observation, behavioral changes and other possible signs of death/adverse effects associated with the test extract were documented. The second phase was a deduction of first phase, eight mice were divided into four groups of two mice each. Each group was treated orally with graded doses of 1200, 1600, 2900, 5000 mg/kg respectively. Signs of adverse drug reactions and other side effects within 24 hours were observed and recorded and from the results gotten, final LD50 was evaluated. Results from the treatment showed that the animals were not subjected to any immediate risks of drug reaction or adverse effects on 24 h exposure and the LD50 for extract was > 5000 mg/kg. Also, on completion of the treatment some parameters evaluated showed significant differences when compared with standards. Generally, the result of this study shows that the metabolic crude extract of endophytic fungi isolated from Mitracarpus scaber showed no oral acute toxicity in mice. However, further evaluation of sub-acute and long-term toxicity studies using oral and other routes of administration is recommended.