ASSESSMENT OF ACUTE AND SUB-ACUTE TOXICITY STUDY OF GARCINA KOLA HECKEL SEEDS IN WISTAR RAT

Garcina kola Heckel have been used in the treatment of many diseases such as diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, chronic cough and liver disease. This study aimed at investigating acute and sub-acute toxic effects of Garcina kola Heckel seed on physiological, biochemical and histopathological parameters of Wistar rat. Acutely, nine rats (n=3) were used as; A (control); B (1000 mg/kg) and C (2000 mg/kg). Sub-acutely, twenty-five rats grouped; A-E (n=5). A (control), B (125 mg/kg); C (250 mg/kg); D (500 mg/kg) and E (1000 mg/kg). Rats were treated with the extract consecutively for 21 days. Garcina kola Heckel seed is safe acutely at tested dose (1000 and 2000 mg/kg) as no mortality/visible toxic reaction was observed. The extract showed non-significant weight gain (day 7) but reduced significantly across the 21 days with most significant reduction in 1000 mg/kg. Haematological result showed that PVC, RBC, haemoglobin and platelets had no significant (P>0.05) effect unlike white blood cell and its differentia (neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes) which decrease significantly (P