Sub-acute Oral Toxicity of Pancratium trianthum Herb. (Amaryllidaceae) Bulb’s Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts in Wistar Rat

Pancratium trianthum Herb. is a herb whose leaves and seeds are reportedly highly toxic. However, the bulb is used in the form of aqueous decoctions, orally, in the treatment of cough and asthma in traditional medicine in southern Benin. The interest in the use of Pancratium trianthum Herb. bulb requires that an approach of its toxicity be undertaken in order to establish the safety of this treatment. Larval and acute toxicity tests were conducted. The larval toxicity test showed that the mortality of the larvae followed a dose-response relationship in that the number of dead larvae increased with increasing concentration using the logarithmic adjustment performed. For the acute toxicity test on rats, due to the doses administered and the treatments carried out, we obtained for the bulb of Pancratium trianthum Herb. an MTD of about 290 mg/kg.bw, an LD50 of 275 mg/kg.bw for the ethanolic extract and an LD50 of 365 mg/kg.bw for the aqueous extract. We thus retain that the bulb of Pancratium trianthum Herb. is not devoid of toxicity. It is slightly toxic and can be classified, especially its aqueous extract, as a product of category 4 of plant extracts according to the OECD guidelines (2008). However, these results reassure us about the safety of the plant when used at a suitable dose and the analysis of biochemical parameters further confirms the relative safety of the plant. Phytochemical studies revealed that the plant has a heterogeneity of chemical groups and a significant antioxidant activity, which could be responsible for its anti-asthmatic properties.