Median Lethal Dose and Sub-Chronic Toxicity Evaluation of Adansonia digitata L. Leaf Methanol Extract on Broiler Chickens

Background and Objective: Adansonia digitata L. (Malvaceae) popularly called the baobab tree is widely distributed in hot savannah regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is widely used as food and as a medicinal plant in the treatment of many human and poultry diseases. This work was designed to evaluate the safety/toxicity of A. digitata leaf methanol extract on broiler chickens. Materials and Methods: The chickens were purchased from a commercial hatchery and brooded for three weeks under standard conditions before the commencement of the experiment. The acute and sub-chronic toxicity screening was carried out using the OECD method. A total of fifteen chickens were used for the sub-chronic toxicity evaluation and the chickens were randomly divided into 5 groups of three chickens each. Group 1 served as normal control, while Groups 2 to 5 received 250, 500, 1000 and 1500 mg kg‾¹ b.wt., of the extract, respectively. Results: The results revealed that the LD₅₀ of A. digitata leaf methanol extract on broiler chickens is greater than 5000 mg kg‾¹ b.wt. No mortality or any signs of toxicity was recorded throughout the experiment. The extract significantly reduced the body weight of the chickens, especially in the groups treated with higher doses of the extract, but not significantly in those treated with lower doses. Initially, the average weight of the group that received highest dose of 1,500 mg kg‾¹ b.wt., was 500 g, after the 4 weeks administration of the extract, the chicken gained weight of an averagely of 2,000 g as against the average weight of the normal control of 3,000 g. The biochemical parameters of the hepatic and renal functions (except for uric acid), as well as hematological indices analyzed in treated groups after the 28 days administration of the extract, did not present significant changes in their levels when compared to the normal control. At higher doses, especially 1,500 mg kg‾¹ b.wt., of the extract, the level of the uric acid was 8.78±0.32 mg dL‾¹ compared to 6.01±0.32 mg dL‾¹ of the control group. Conclusion: The A. digitata leaf methanol extract may be concluded as practically safe and can be used especially for the treatment of poultry diseases.