Abstract

The total methanolic extracts of Chrysophyllum perpulchrum were used for toxicological (acute and subacute toxicity) and cytotoxicity studies. The experiment focuses on Swiss mice acclimatized in the animal cages at the University of Cocody-Abidjan. Each cage contains five mices of the same age (6 to 8 weeks), in much the same weight (20 ± 0.5 g) and same sex (male or female). The extract ofC. perpulchrum is injected to the mice with an insulin syringe intraperitoneally. The doses ranged from 0 to 4000 mg/kg of body weight (bw). According to the term of the study, the blood of the mice used in this second study (20 g of weight) is taken with the view to study the effect of C. perpulchrum on the blood formulate numeration (BFN) and also on the serum markers of noble organs that are heart, liver and kidneys. At last, the toxicity of C. perpulchrum has been evaluated with some human bronchial epithelial cells. The acute toxicity allowed to determine the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) which is 500 mg/kg of bw, 50% lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 1259 mg/kg of bw whatever the method used. The LD₅₀ is greater than 500 mg/kg bw. Then, C. perpulchrum not inhibiting the cellular proliferation is not over 1 mg/ml. In conclusion, C. perpulchrum is moderately toxicic and would entail a light damage of kidney. On the other hand, this substance is not toxic on the human bronchial epithelial cells. She would favor rather the proliferation of these last one.C. perpulchrum is thus not cytotoxic.

Key words: Chrysophyllum perpulchrum, acute, subacute, toxicity, cytotoxicity.