Evaluation of Anti-rodent Activity of the Root Bark of Yellow Oleander (Thevetiaperuviana)

A b s t r a c t Yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) plant extracts are toxic to most vertebrates as they contain cardiac glycosides. Cardiac glycosides are composed of steroidal aglycone with a 5 membered lactone ring and acts on cardiac muscles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antirodent activity of the root bark extract of Thevetia peruviana and exploit the observed activity to formulate a commercial rodenticide. The root bark extract was exhaustively extracted using Water/Methanol (13) solvent system by cold percolation at room temperature. The extract was characterized using different Chromatographic, spectroscopic and chemical techniques. LD50 of the extract was determined as well as the histopathological effect on the liver. Pellets containing different concentrations of the extract were prepared and provided as feeds to adult mice (Balb C species). The mice behavior was observed on hourly basis for the first 4hrs and after every 3hrs for the next 72 hrs. The results exhibited high acute toxicity with LD50 of 300 mg/kg upon oral administration in mice. The histological examination indicated that the extract induced several histopathological changes in the mice. This proves that the extract from Yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) can be used to formulate an environmentally friendly antirodent.