Background:

The utilization of edible biomass of Dichrostachys cinerea could become an effective alternative for the control of animal parasitosis.

Aim.

To evaluate toxicity at a limit dose of an extract of legumes, reshoots, and leaves of adult D. cinerea plants in rats.

Methods:

The study comprised young-adult albino consanguineous and heteroxenic rats (Rattus norvegicus) of the Sprague Dawley (Cenp: SD) line, of both sexes, weighing between 150 and 200 g. Three aqueous extracts by 20% crushing from plant biomass, reshoots from the adult plants, and legumes were evaluated through an oral toxicity test with a limit dose of 2000 mg/kg body mass. Mortality and symptoms or signs of toxicity were controlled. A necropsy and microscopic analysis of the animals at the end of the study was performed to detect lesions. STATISTICA, version 10, was used, and the Wilcoxon and Man Whitney U non-parametric paired tests were performed to compare the initial and final weights by sexes, and weight gains by sexes, respectively.

Results:

The rats from both sexes increased their body weight, demonstrating that the extract caused no negative effect. There were significant differences in weight gains between the males and females; no macroscopic lesions or pathological alterations associated with the administration of the product were observed.

Conclusions:

The aqueous extract of legumes, reshoots, and leaves of adult D. cinerea plants administered to rats orally was not toxic at the limit oral dose in rats.