article · Macedonian Veterinary Review
While the toxicity of Abrus precatorius seeds is well established, the safety boundaries of its leaves require clear definition. Researchers calculated the Human Equivalent Dose and Human Equivalent No-observable Adverse Effect Dose to project lethal and safe thresholds for fifteen monogastric species based on mouse data. The median lethal dose for an aqueous leaf extract in mice ranged between 2559.5 and 3123.3 mg per kg of body weight. Extrapolations yielded progressively lower lethal doses for larger animals, falling to between 197.8 and 241.5 mg per kg in adult humans. Across monogastric animals, therapeutic safe doses were determined to be between 1 and 12.5 mg per kg given over seven days. In rats, doses up to 200 mg per kg supported blood formation, but exceeding this caused red blood cell destruction. Daily doses at or above 25.0 mg per kg risk organ toxicity in humans and several animal species.
Determining precise safety limits for botanical extracts is essential to prevent poisoning. This research maps out calculated safe versus toxic intake levels for Abrus precatorius leaves across various species. It helps toxicologists and healthcare professionals recognise the narrow boundary between beneficial physiological effects, such as blood cell building, and harmful outcomes like blood cell breakdown and organ damage.
This early-stage toxicological research establishes baseline dosing limits that could inform pharmaceutical or veterinary product developers investigating Abrus precatorius leaf compounds for haematinic properties. Because the work relies on animal data and theoretical mathematical extrapolations, it remains at a very early, preclinical stage, far from any commercial deployment or real-world clinical application.
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Abstract There is abundant literature on the toxicity of A. precatorius seeds. However there is a need to define the toxicity limit of the Abrus precatorius leaf in monogastric animals. Human Equivalent Dose (HED) which is equal to animal dose multiplied by animal km (metabolism constant) divided by human km was used to project the LD 50 of fifteen monogastric animals, where human km factor is body weight (kg) divided by body surface area (m 2 ). Human Equivalent No-observable Adverse Effect Doses were determined by multiplying the animal no-observable adverse effect dose by animal weight (Wa) divided by human weight (Wh). The LD 50 of the aqueous leaf extract of Abrus precatorius in mice was estimated to be between 2559.5 and 3123.3 mg/kg body weight. The LD 50 extrapolated from mouse to rat (1349.3-1646.6 mg/kg), hamster (1855.3-2264.1 mg/kg), guinea pig (1279.5-1561.4 mg/kg), rabbit (618.4-754.7 mg/kg), monkey (593.7-724.5 mg/kg), cat (392.7-479.2 mg/kg), dog and baboon (371.1-452.8 mg/kg), child (297-362 mg/kg) and adult human (197.8-241.5 mg/kg) body weight respectively could be a reality. The therapeutic safe dose range for the animals was 1-12.5 mg/kg body weight for a period of 7 days, but at a dose (≤ 200 mg/kg body weight) the leaf extract showed haematinic effect. However, at a higher dose (> 200 mg/kg), the extract showed haemolytic activity in rats, whereas at a dose (≥25.0 mg/kg), the leaf extract might be organotoxic in hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, monkey, cat, dog, baboon, child and adult human if administered orally for a period of 7 days.
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DOI: 10.1515/macvetrev-2015-0061
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