Toxicity of Jatropha curcas phorbol esters in mice

Phorbol esters are the main toxins in Jatropha curcas seed and oil. The aim of this study was to assess the acute toxicity of phorbol esters given by intragastric administration and to determine the LD50 for Swiss Hauschka mice. The LD50 and 95% confidence limits for male mice were 27.34 mg/kg body mass and 24.90–29.89 mg/kg body mass; and the LD5 and LD95 were 18.87 and 39.62 mg/kg body mass, respectively. The regression equations between the probits of mortalities (Y) and the log of doses (D) was Y = −9.67 + 10.21 log (D). Histopathological studies on the organs from the dead mice showed: (1) no significant abnormal changes in the organs at the lowest dose (21.26 mg/kg body mass) studied, (2) prominent lesions mainly found in lung and kidney, with diffused haemorrhages in lung, and glomerular sclerosis and atrophy in kidney at doses ⩾32.40 mg/kg body mass, and (3) multiple abruption of cardiac muscle fibres and anachromasis of cortical neurons at the highest dose of 36.00 mg/kg body mass. The results obtained would aid in developing safety measures for the Jatropha based biofuel industry and in exploiting the pharmaceutical and agricultural applications of phorbol esters.