Toxicities of selected medicinal plants and floras of lower phyla

The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxic effects associated with the administration of aqueous extracts (AE) of Calliandra portoricensis (CP), Dracaena arborea (DA), Duranta repens (DR), Polytrichum juniperinum (PJ), Parmelia caperata (PC), and Nostartium officinale (NO) on Wistar rats. LD50 for each plant was obtained prior to administration. Seven groups of six rats each were orally gavaged for 28 days as follows; group 1–7 received normal rat pellets and saline, in addition, group 2 received 20 mg/kg b.w CP, group 3 & 4 respectively received 8 mg/kg b.w DA and DR, group 5 & 6 respectively received 4 mg/ kg b.w PJ and PC, and group 7 received 100 mg/kg b.w NO. Liver enzymes; ALP, ALT, AST and GGT were significantly (p < 0.05) elevated by CP, DR, PJ and PC extracts. All the extracts caused significant alterations of the total protein, albumin and globulin levels. The urea levels were deranged by all the extracts while CP, PJ, PC, and NO extracts caused no significant effects on the creatinine levels. Both DR and NO deranged the serum electrolytes; Na, K, Cl, and HCO3. Results for the lipid profile showed that all extracts significantly altered the phosphatidate phosphohydrolase and LDL levels while no significant effects were observed in the VLDL, TG, TC, HDL, cardiac risk ratio, arterogenic coefficients, and arterogenic index of plasma, of NO treated rats. For hematological parameters DR, PJ, and PC significantly deranged the RBC, HGB, MCHC, MCV, and MCH concentrations while the neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils were significantly altered on administration of all the extracts. No significant effects were observed on the platelets and plateletcrit level in rats gavaged with CP, whereas the MPV, PDW, and PCT concentrations werederanged by DR extracts. CP and NO caused no alterations in the MDA, GSH, and GST levels whereas the SOD, GPx, and xanthine oxidase levels were significantly deranged by all the plant extracts. Only NO treatment produced catalase, glutathione reductase, and xanthine dehydrogenase levels equivalent to the control group. This study has shown various degrees of deleterious effects on biochemical parameters associated with the consumption of these plants, thus raising serious concerns over their continuous applications as local medicaments.Keywords:  Toxicity, Calliandra portoricensis, Dracaena arborea, Duranta repens Polytrichum juniperinum, Parmelia caperata, Nostartium officinale, Liver, Electrolytes, Phosphaditate phosphohyrolase, Platelets, Xanthine dehydrogenas

Dyslipidemias in normotensive and hypertensive individuals.

The present work was carried out to compare the effects of age and antihypertensive therapy on lipid profile in hypertensive and normotensive individuals. A total of 150 individuals were used for the study.100 hypertensive under therapy were used and 50 normotensive served as control. Serum lipid (Cholesterol (T -chol) , triglyceride (TG), Phospholipids (PL),High density lipoprotein( HDL-chol ), Low density lipoprotein( LDLchol) and very low density lipoprotein (VLD L- chol) were biochemical parameters monitored. The normotensive studied had mean age of 50 \ub1 11 years and blood pressure of 117 \ub1 6 / 77\ub1 6 mmHg. The hypertensive had mean age of 55 \ub1 10 years and blood pressure of 177\ub125 /103 \ub1 10 mmHg. The study revealed that there was a highly significant effect of age on total cholesterol in hypertensive than normotensive individuals .The mean total cholesterol (T -chol) and triglyceride (TG) were (156\ub111, and 59 \ub1 4) mg/dl respectively for the normotensives; and hypertensive the means were 166 \ub1 13 for the T \u2013chol and 66\ub1 7 mg/dl for triglyceride (P<0.05). Similarly, a significant lower phospholipids level of 158\ub18 mg /dl was obtained for normotensives, hypertensives had a mean (165\ub1 11 mg/dl, P<0.05). However, HDL-chol was lower in hypertensives (57\ub1 10) mg/dl than in normotensives (64\ub1 13) mg/dl). Hypertensive patients also recorded higher mean values of LDL-chol (95\ub1 17) mg/dl than the normotensives with mean values of 81\ub1 15 mg/dl for LDL- chol. Marginally higher level of VLD L- chol was observed in hypertensive patients as well compared to normotensive individuals VLD L- chol(13\ub1 2)mg/dl and 12 \ub1 1 mg/dl for VLD Lchol(P<0.05). \ua9 JASE

Dyslipidemias in normotensive and hypertensive individuals.

The present work was carried out to compare the effects of age and antihypertensive therapy on lipid profile in hypertensive and normotensive individuals. A total of 150 individuals were used for the study.100 hypertensive under therapy were used and 50 normotensive served as control. Serum lipid (Cholesterol (T -chol) , triglyceride (TG), Phospholipids (PL),High density lipoprotein( HDL-chol ), Low density lipoprotein( LDLchol) and very low density lipoprotein (VLD L- chol) were biochemical parameters monitored. The normotensive studied had mean age of 50 ± 11 years and blood pressure of 117 ± 6 / 77± 6 mmHg. The hypertensive had mean age of 55 ± 10 years and blood pressure of 177±25 /103 ± 10 mmHg. The study revealed that there was a highly significant effect of age on total cholesterol in hypertensive than normotensive individuals .The mean total cholesterol (T -chol) and triglyceride (TG) were (156±11, and 59 ± 4) mg/dl respectively for the normotensives; and hypertensive the means were 166 ± 13 for the T –chol and 66± 7 mg/dl for triglyceride (P<0.05). Similarly, a significant lower phospholipids level of 158±8 mg /dl was obtained for normotensives, hypertensives had a mean (165± 11 mg/dl, P<0.05). However, HDL-chol was lower in hypertensives (57± 10) mg/dl than in normotensives (64± 13) mg/dl). Hypertensive patients also recorded higher mean values of LDL-chol (95± 17) mg/dl than the normotensives with mean values of 81± 15 mg/dl for LDL- chol. Marginally higher level of VLD L- chol was observed in hypertensive patients as well compared to normotensive individuals VLD L- chol(13± 2)mg/dl and 12 ± 1 mg/dl for VLD Lchol(P<0.05). © JASE