Acute oral toxicity of raw areca nut extract in rats

The aqueous extract of raw areca nut extract was evaluated for its acute oral toxicity study in rats. Healthy male and female Wistar albino rats aged between 10 to 12 weeks and weighing 190 to 210 g adult were selected. The animals were fasted overnight and raw areca nut extract in graded doses was administered as a single dose by gavage using a gavaging tube. Careful general clinical observations were made for 14 days. The toxicity signs were depression, profuse salivation, tremors, muscular incoordination, convulsions, writhing movement of neck and severe diarrhoea. The LD₅₀ values of raw areca nut extract in male and female rats were found to be 2321.96 and 2257.52 mg/kg, respectively. The LD₅₀ value in female rats was slightly lower than that of the male rats.