Acute Toxicity of Hydroethanolic Extracts from the Leaves of Three Medicinal Plants: Justicia secunda Vahl., Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench and Theobroma cacao L.

11 June, 2026

Background and Objective: Medicinal plant extracts are wrongly considered to be harmless to health. However, numerous studies have demonstrated the contrary. This study evaluated the acute toxicity of hydro-ethanolic extracts from the leaves of Justicia secunda, Sorghum bicolor, and Theobroma cacao according to OECD Guideline No. 423. Materials and Methods: The preparations were obtained by hydro-ethanolic maceration (50%) of dried leaf powder. Four groups (n = 3) of rats, including a control group, received distilled water and 2,000 mg/kg of hydroethanolic extract of Justicia secunda (HEJs), Sorghum bicolor (HESb), and Theobroma cacao (HETc), respectively. For 14 days, all clinical signs of distress were noted. At the end of the study, all rats were sacrificed under anesthesia, and the heart, liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, lungs, and blood were collected for biological analysis. Results: No signs of suffering or organ damage were observed. However, the relative mass of the spleen in the HEJs and HETc groups was significantly higher (p<0.01) than that of the control group, suggesting an adaptive response to treatment. However, ASAT levels in the treated groups were significantly lower (p<0.0001) than in the control group. Conclusion: Hydro-ethanolic extracts of J. secunda, S. bicolor, and T. cacao at a single dose of 2,000 mg/kg administered orally are relatively safe. These extracts were well tolerated as they had no serious toxic effects. According to the OECD Globally Harmonized System of Classification (GHS), these extracts are classified as substances with an LD₅₀ >5.000 mg/kg.

Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology - Current Issue

Acute Toxicity of Hydroethanolic Extracts from the Leaves of Three Medicinal Plants: Justicia secunda Vahl., Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench and Theobroma cacao L.