Short Term Toxicological Evaluation of the Pentaclethra macrophylla (Benth) Essential Oil (Oil Bean Seed) on Organs of Normal Male Albino Rats

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the short term toxicological assessment of the Pentaclethra macrophylla (Benth) oil (oil bean seed) on organs of normal male albino rats. Fresh pods of Pentaclethra macrophylla (Benth) were collected directly from the plant tree in July 2009 at the site opposite the Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State. Twenty four (24) healthy male albino rats purchased from Animal house of Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Ibadan, and weighing between 92.0 – 105.4 g were used for the experiment. The effect of the oil extract was investigated by oral administration of the oil into different groups of rats using oral cannular (Group A-D). All the administration was carried out as single dose continually for 8 weeks. The toxicity effects of the extracted oil from Pentaclethra macrophylla (Benth) was investigated on five organs of rats (liver, brains, kidney, heart and testis). The animals were divided into four groups (A, B, C, and D) fed with a normal diet and three different levels of concentrations of the oil. With the oral cannular techniques, the first group (A) rats were fed with 0.2 ml/day of oil with a normal diet, second group (B) with 0.4 ml/day with a normal diet, the third group (C) fed with 0.6 ml/day oil with normal diet while fourth group D were treated with normal diet only, serving as the control group for the study. The results of the histological examination indicated that as the concentrations of the oil ingested increases, some of the tissues of the organs were affected. Therefore, the study suggested that Pentaclethra macrophylla (Benth) oil was toxic to the organs of the rats. Therefore, the consumption of the seeds by the human can constitute health hazards and risks.