Acute Toxicity of Pulai Stem Bark (Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.) Extract in Female Wistar Rats

Abstract

Pulai plants (Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.) are often found and easily available in Kalimantan. Empirically it is used for traditional medicine, but data on the safety of Pulai plants is still limited. This study aims to determine the acute toxicity analysis of the ethanol extract of Pulai stem bark (Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.) on clinical conditions, LD50, and blood cell components in female Wistar rats. Pulai stem bark was extracted by the maceration method using 70% ethanol solvent. acute toxicity testing based on the guidelines of the Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM). The test animals consisted of six groups, namely the 5000 mg dose group, the 3500 mg dose group, the 2500 mg dose group, the 1500 mg dose group, the 500 mg dose group, and the control group. Observation of clinical conditions and LD50 was carried out for 14 days. The collection of blood cell components was carried out before treatment and on the 14th day. The results of physical observations and the deaths of the test animals showed that administration of ethanol extract of Pulai stem bark up to a dose of 5000 mg did not cause death in the test animals but caused abnormal clinical symptoms such as silence, excitatory passivity, weak reflexes, flabby muscle tone, bradypnea, a weaker pulse, pyloreaction hairs, red nose. For the body weight of the test animals before treatment until the 14th day, there was no significant difference. The results of blood cell component testing showed that the ethanol extract of Pulai stem bark at a dose of 3500 mg–5000 mg could reduce the number of leukocytes.