Kwasi Opoku Boadu, Samuel Kofi Tulashie*, Michael Akrofi Anang, Jerome Desire Kpan
The neem plant (Azadirachta indica) was used in this research to ascertain its effectiveness in controlling insects and pests. The leaves of the plant were applied. The neem plant has an active insecticidal ingredient, Azadirachtin (C35 H44 O16). The active ingredient in the leaf was extracted for the toxicological analysis in rabbits. The extracts were daily administered orally by gavage to male and female rabbits for two weeks at dose levels of 5 and 24mg/kg, respectively. Irrespective of dose/sex, effects on serum biochemistry parameters was not significant (P> 0.05) but the ALT in males was significantly higher than in females. All rabbits in the high-dose groups, irrespective of sex, showed significant increase (P > 0.05) in haematological parameters. RBC and PCV increased significantly in males than in females group. Mild splenomegaly was common to carcasses of all rabbits. Histopatholgy also revealed mild cellular infiltration of the hepatocytes, for both genders, there was no-observed-adverse-effect level for the neem leaved extracts based on this subacute study in rabbits was considered to be 2.5 mg/kg/day. Hence, the toxicological analysis conducted on the rabbits showed there was no mortality or clinical signs among the treatment groups and control. However, there was however increase in body weight gain.
