● The supposed alteration in behavior due to guilt following administration of stem bark of E. ivorense is due to memory impairment, loss of grip strength, and motor coordination. 
● The Purkinje cell loss is part of a cascade of pathomechanistic events involved in its neurotoxicity. 
● Active components in Erythrophleum ivorense can be developed and used as rodenticide rather than its current use as an ordeal poison in humans.

Plain Language Summary 
Erythrophleum Ivorense (EI) is a common tree found in tropical regions. Its bark is usually used as hunting poisons for animals and poison in humans. Ingestion of this plant causes paralysis, respiratory distress, and amnesia. In folklore, these behavioral changes have been attributed to guilt in victims; nonetheless, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support this claim. We, therefore, investigated the mechanism of neurotoxicity and behavioral alteration of this plant. Forty-eight BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into four groups. The test groups were administered an aqueous extract of EI in a single daily dose of 5, 10, and 15 mg/kg body weight for 28 days while the control received distilled water. After that, motor coordination, learning, memory, and grip strength were accessed. Histological staining of brain sections was also carried out. At all tested doses, the aqueous extract of EI caused a significant reduction in hanging latency, significantly increased escape latency, and decreased duration in the target platform in the Morris water maze test compared to control. Reduced grip strength was also observed in the test groups compared to the control. Histology revealed dysmorphic and disoriented Purkinje cells and loss of the Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellum. Erythrophleum ivorense administration altered motor coordination, learning and memory, and grip strength in mice in a dose-dependent manner. It also caused disruption of granule cells layer, loss of Purkinje cells, and altered cerebellar anatomy leading to motor deficits in mice