Sixty five (65) rats were exposed to one tenth LD50 of crude latex of Calotropis Procera (CP) day by day for 12 weeks (long-term toxicity). Clinical signs, post-mortem lesions, and histopathological examination were made.
Post-mortum examination showed marked dilatation of the stomach and contained the latex of crude CP . The stomach revealed severe necrosis of the entire mucosal epithelium. The kidney was the most affected organ with a variety of changes in long-term exposure. Absence of spermatozoa in the epididymal lumen was observed. Moreover, immature cells and cellular debris in the lumen were observed while the epithelium was intact. The livers of exposed rats in long term exposure had marked proliferation of Kupffer cells as well as dilatation of the hepatic sinusoids.
In conclusion, calotropis procera crude latex is moderately toxic; in large doses has hazardous local and remote toxic effects in different body organs.