Toxicological study of the extracts of anti-malarial medicinal plant Enantia chlorantha

Acute and sub-acute toxicity studies of the medicinal plant Enantia chlorantha were carried out in mice. The oral and s.c. routes of administration of both the aqueous and ethanolic extracts were employed. All the animals reacted to the medicinal plant, when given by both routes, with itching leading to body scratching lasting about 10 minutes. Fatality was not recorded in mice given 0.2g kg-1 s.c. and 20.0g kg-1 orally of both the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of E. chlorantha but larger concentration of both extracts resulted in deaths. Mean lethal dose (LD50) of 0.7g kg-1 was recorded for ethanolic, while 43.65g kg-1 was for aqueous preparations. In the sub-acute toxicity in which the animals were given 3 x 10(3)-5 x 10(-3)g kg-1 of the aqueous extract to drink at will for five weeks, no fatality was recorded and no significant damage to the body organs was observed. These data indicate that the plant drug when taken is safe in diseased states.