F. platyphylla is a tree that is native throughout the tropics with a few
extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. In Nigeria, it is predominant in
the Northern regions of the country. Acute oral toxicity (LD50) was determined
using five (5) rats and monitored for fourteen while twenty five (25) rats were
used for the subchronic toxicity studies. They were grouped into five groups
and treated daily with the extract orally for 28 days. The estimated LD50 was
found to be greater than 3000mg/kg body weight as no mortality was
recorded during the 14 days observation period. The biochemical indices of
the kidney and liver on different doses of the extract were not significantly
different (P>0.05) except for creatinine, ALT and AST which showed
significant decrease (P˂0.05) when compared to control. However,
haematological parameters such as WBC and PLT were also significantly
increased (P˂0.05) compared to the control. The findings reveal F. platyphylla
may be potentially safe for consumption.
Keywords: Ficus Platyphylla, Acute Toxicity, Subchronic Toxicity, Albino Rat