Study of the acute and subacute toxicity of the total aqueous extract of Ipomea mauritiana Jacq. (Convolvulaceae) leaves on Wistar rats

Ipomea mauritiana Jacq is a plant commonly used in traditional medicine for its therapeutic properties against certain diseases. When using products made from this plant repeatedly to treat a specific condition, it is therefore essential to allow for a safety margin in order to avoid any risk of poisoning. This work is part of a toxicological study of the total aqueous extract of Ipomea mauritiana leaves (ETAIm), the form most commonly used by local populations. To achieve this, an acute toxicity study was first conducted with fifteen (15) rats divided into two test groups and one control group of five (5) rats each. The test groups received doses of 2000 and 5000 mg/kg bw of ETAIm, respectively, and the control group received distilled water orally in a single dose. In a second step for the subacute toxicity study, twenty-four (24) male and female rats are divided into three test groups and one control group (three male and three female rats) for each group. The control group received distilled water, and the test groups received doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg bw of ETAIm via daily gavage for 28 days. During the experimental period, weight measurements were taken and a blood sample was collected at the end of the experiment. The rats were then anesthetized and sacrificed in order to remove the target organs for toxicity testing. The results showed that in the acute toxicity study, no mortality was detected during the entire experimental period for the doses evaluated. The lethal dose 50% (LD50) is greater than 5000 mg/kg bw. With regard to subacute toxicity, changes were observed in body weight, hematological parameters, and the organs most affected by toxicity in rats exposed to different doses of ETAIm. In short, the use of ETAIm to alleviate certain conditions in the population does not present any significant danger and therefore justifies its widespread use in traditional medicine.