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The poultice of Jatropha curcas leaves is used traditionally for the treatment of sores, bruises, muscular pains and jaundice in Nigeria. Even without toxicological assessment, medicinal plants are generally believed to be naturally safer than synthetic drugs. Therefore, the present study investigates the acute toxicity and histopathological effects of the crude aqueous leaf extract of J. curcas in mice. Thirty six Wistar mice of both sexes weighing between 25-35 g were used. Graded doses of the extract were administered once to groups of mice intraperitoneally to determine the median lethal dose [LD 50 ]. Adverse effects were examined within 24 h by using clinical signs of toxicity. After 48 h of extract administration, tissues of surviving mice were harvested for necropsy and histopathological examination. The extract yielded an intraperitoneal LD 50 of 141.1 mg kgG 1 b.wt. under our environmental conditions. The mice showed dose-dependent signs of toxicity ranging from tremors, vomiting, anorexia, weakness and diarrhea to death. No gross changes were observed at necropsy of excised organs, however, histopathological lesions in the heart, liver, kidney, spleen, lungs and stomach were observed. From these observations, it may be inferred that the extract of J. curcas leaves is very toxic and its use may be associated with tissue structural damage of vital organs.

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