Terminalia mantaly H

The leaf of T. mantaly is a component of traditional medicine, yet its scientific safety profile, particularly on the blood, is not well-established. This research aimed to provide information on the acute toxicity profile and a comprehensive description of the haematological effects of the plant's methanol leaf extract in Wistar rats, by examining both the immediate effect of a single high dose, and the sub – acute effect of repeated daily administrations. The leaf of T. mantaly was collected, authenticated, dried and milled into powder form. The powder (1050 g) was Soxhlet extracted using methanol, concentrated and dried to obtain 27.98% yield of extract. Acute toxicity test was done using Lorke’s method. Evaluation of the acute effect of a single high dose of 5000 mg/kg and the sub – acute effect of graded doses (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) of the extract on haematological parameters of female Wistar rats, were done using standard methods. The acute toxicity test revealed that the extract is relatively safe with LD50 > 5000 mg/kg. However, administration of the 5000 mg/kg dose of the extract revealed a non – toxic physiological stress response, which manifested as a decrease in platelets (thrombocytopenia) and lymphocytes (lymphopenia), as well as a sharp rise in neutrophils (neutrophilia). The 28 days sub – acute study demonstrated the safety profile associated with the administration of lower graded doses of the extract. An immunomodulatory effect, with a slight increase in the number of lymphocytes an platelets, were observed. In conclusion, the methanol leaf extract of T. mantaly possesses a high margin of safety and it is relatively safe, at the tested doses. However, caution is seriously advised in its use, at high doses.