Preliminary Toxicological Assessment of Aqueous Extract of Annona muricata Leaves in Wistar Rats at a Laboratory in Calabar, Cross River State

Annona muricata, commonly called soursop or graviola, is a widely consumed fruit in Cross River State whose leaves are popularly used in traditional medicine for the management of fever, hypertension, and cancer. Growing internet-driven promotion of soursop leaf as an anticancer remedy has increased its consumption without adequate safety evaluation in Nigerian populations. This study conducted a preliminary acute and sub-acute toxicological assessment of aqueous extract of A. muricata leaves using Wistar rats at the university animal house in Calabar. Acute toxicity was evaluated using the Lorke method at doses up to 5000 mg/kg administered orally. Sub-acute toxicity involved daily oral administration of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg doses for 28 days. Parameters assessed included body weight changes, haematological indices, liver function enzymes, renal function markers, and histopathology of liver, kidney, and spleen. No mortality was observed at any acute dose level. Sub-acute administration at 400 mg/kg produced significant elevations in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase compared to controls, with corresponding histopathological changes in the liver. These findings suggest potential hepatotoxicity at high doses and caution against unsupervised prolonged use of concentrated soursop leaf preparations. Keywords: Annona muricata, toxicology, Wistar rats, hepatotoxicity, Cross River State.