Acute and Sub-chronic (28-day) Oral Toxicity Studies of Hydroalcohol Leaf Extract of Ageratum conyzoides L (Asteraceae)

Purpose: Ageratum conyzoides is an annual herbaceous plant commonly used in African traditional medicine as a purgative, antipyretic, anti-ulcer and wound dressing agent. The objective of this study was to investigate the acute and sub-chronic toxicity of A. conyzoides leaves in Wistar rats. Methods: In the acute test, the limit test dose of 5000 mg/kg was administered to Wistar rats and then observed individually 1 h post-dosing, and at least once daily for 14 days. Sub-chronic toxicity was evaluated after administering daily oral doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg body wt., for 28 days to the rats, Biochemical and haematological assessments as well as body and relative organ weights of the rats were carried out. Results: The limit dose of 5000 mg/kg did not cause any mortality or signs of acute toxicity in the rats tested during the observation period. In the sub-chronic tests, the results did not show any treatment–related abnormalities in terms of haematological and biochemical parameters. However, urea was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in the group treated with 500 mg/kg of A. conyzoides extract. The weekly body and organ weight of the rats showed no significant differences between the control and the rats treated with the extract except for liver where there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in rats that received 1000 mg/kg, i.e., 3 ± 0.2 g as against 2.5 ± 0.1 g for the control. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the hydroalcohol extract of A. conyzoides is relatively safe when administered orally in rats.Keywords: Ageratum conyzoides, Acute and sub-chronic toxicity, Biochemical parameters, Haematological analysis, Wistar rats

Contamination of boreholes water by 76 pesticides molecules in the cotton zone of Kérou

Analysis campaign of underground water was done in 2010 on five boreholes water samples situated in agricultural cotton zone. The obtained results showed the presence of various active matters of at least 76 residues of pesticides, especially insecticides, herbicides and fungicides, with accumulated contents which could average 0.350 or 350 ƒÊg/L per borehole. Indeed, all the prospected boreholes were contaminated. Every molecules of pesticides analyzed were present with at least 1 ƒÊg/L, some molecules concentration such as: aldrine (7 } 0.7 ƒÊg/L), dieldrin (2 } 0.7 ƒÊg/Ls), phorate (7 } 2 ƒÊg/L) and terbufos (7 } 1 ƒÊg/L), highly exceeded maximum residue limits. The most affected zones of the contamination of the underground water by pesticides were those areas where the cotton faming is practiced.Keywords: Kerou, cotton farming, water of boreholes, pesticides

Isolation and purification of an enzyme hydrolyzing ochratoxin A from aspergillus niger

Ochratoxin A is a mycotoxin produced by several Aspergillus and some Penicillium species which may be present in food and feed products. It can be enzymatically hydrolyzed into ochratoxin α and l-β-phenylalanine, thereby decreasing its toxicity. The ochratoxin A degradation capacity of Aspergillus niger is well known and here we report the isolation and purification of a novel enzyme from A. niger that hydrolyzes this mycotoxin. A wheat germ medium supplemented with ochratoxin A was used to produce the enzyme, which was purified from culture filtrate by acetone precipitation and anion exchange chromatography. An overall purification of 2.5-fold with a recovery of 68% and a final specific activity of 36 U/mg was obtained. The enzyme is a metalloenzyme as it was inhibited at 10 mM EDTA, whereas PMSF had no effect. The ochratoxin A hydrolytic enzyme presented a V max of 0.44 μM/min and a K m of 0.5 mM when the reaction was carried out at pH 7.5 and 37°C.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Haematological evaluation of Wistar rats exposed to chronic doses of cadmium, mercury and combined cadmium and mercury

Cadmium and mercury present in the environment, cause blood disorders. This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of cadmium, mercury and their combination on hematological parameters of Wistar rats. For this purpose, two different doses of each metal and their combination were administered orally for 28 days to six groups of five rats each. Two groups (A and B) were respectively exposed to CdCl2 (0.25 and 2.5 mg/kg), two other groups (C and D) respectively received HgCl2 (0.12 and 1.2 mg/kg) and the last two groups (E and F) were respectively treated with the combination of these two metals: (0.25 mg/kg Cd + 0.12 mg/kg Hg) and (2.5 mg/kg Cd + 1.2 mg/kg Hg). The control group (G) received the same volume of distilled water. At the end of exposure, bodies of rats were weighed and the whole blood was collected by retro-orbital sinus method for analysis of hematological parameters. The results of this study show a significant decrease (p&lt;0.05) in white blood cells (WBC) in the lot treated with the combination (0.25 mg/kg Cd + 012 mg/kg Hg) and also indicate a significant decrease (p&lt;0.05) in WBC, red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (HGB) and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) with high levels of mercury (2.5 mg/kg) and the combination (2.5 mg/kg Cd + 1.2 mg/kg Hg). An increase in the number of platelet count (PLT) in all intoxicated lots was observed.Keywords: Cadmium, mercury, hematology, blood parameters, ratsAfrican Journal of BiotechnologyVol. 12(23), pp. 3731-373

Human ochratoxicosis and nephropathy in Egypt: A preliminary study

This preliminary study was designed todelineate the extent of the problem of ochratoxicosis and its relation to renal diseases mounting to endstage renal disease (ESRD) or urothelial tumors inEgypt. It comprised 71 patient with renal diseases ofdifferent presentations. They were divided into fivegroups: (group I - no.=11) patients with (ESRD)under conservati ve treatment, (group 2 - no.=15)ESRD on regular hemodialysis, (group3 - no.= 15)renal allograft recipients, (group 4 - no.=15) patientswith nephrotic syndrome and (group 5 - no.=15)patients with urothelial tumors. In addition, twocontrol groups were included; potential relateddonors for renal transplantation (group 6 - no.=15)and healthy controls with negative family history ofrenal disease (group 7 - no.=25).All groups were subjected to clinical, laboratory,radiological and histopathological evaluation of renalstatus together with determination of ochratoxin Alevel in blood, urine and in biopsy specimens ofpatients with urothelial tumors.High ochratoxin blood levels were found in allpatients with ESRD (groups 1 &amp; 2) (p&lt;0.01). Higherblood levels were detected in the group onconservative treatment (group 1) in comparison tocontrols possibly due to ochratoxin A clearance bydialysis. Ochratoxin A was detected in blood andurine of renal transplant recipients (group3) (p&lt;0.01)and especially higher levels were found in patientswith nephrotic syndrome (group 4) (p&lt;0.001). Patients with urothelial tumor (group 5), had higher levels of ochratoxin in blood, urine and tissue biopsy specimens (p&lt;0.01).These results support the conclusion that ochratoxin-A could be related to the genesis of renal disease leading to ESRD or causing urothelial cancer. We recommend more detailed study for ochratoxicosis &amp; renal disease in Egypt

The antimicrobial polymer PHMB enters cells and selectively condenses bacterial chromosomes

To combat infection and antimicrobial resistance, it is helpful to elucidate drug mechanism(s) of action. Here we examined how the widely used antimicrobial polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) kills bacteria selectively over host cells. Contrary to the accepted model of microbial membrane disruption by PHMB, we observed cell entry into a range of bacterial species, and treated bacteria displayed cell division arrest and chromosome condensation, suggesting DNA binding as an alternative antimicrobial mechanism. A DNA-level mechanism was confirmed by observations that PHMB formed nanoparticles when mixed with isolated bacterial chromosomal DNA and its effects on growth were suppressed by pairwise combination with the DNA binding ligand Hoechst 33258. PHMB also entered mammalian cells, but was trapped within endosomes and excluded from nuclei. Therefore, PHMB displays differential access to bacterial and mammalian cellular DNA and selectively binds and condenses bacterial chromosomes. Because acquired resistance to PHMB has not been reported, selective chromosome condensation provides an unanticipated paradigm for antimicrobial action that may not succumb to resistance

Natural multi-occurrence of mycotoxins in rice from Niger State, Nigeria

Twenty-one rice samples from field (ten), store (six) and market (five) from the traditional rice-growing areas of Niger State, Nigeria were analysed for aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin B1 (FB1) and B2 (FB2), and patulin (PAT) by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) respectively. T-2 toxin was determined using TLC only. AFs were detected in all samples, at total AF concentrations of 28–372 μg/kg. OTA was found in 66.7% of the samples, also at high concentrations (134–341 μg/kg) that have to be considered as critical levels in aspects of nephrotoxicity. ZEA (53.4%), DON (23.8), FB1 (14.3%) and FB2 (4.8%) were also found in rice, although at relatively low levels. T-2 toxin was qualitatively detected by TLC in only one sample. Co-contamination with AFs, OTA, and ZEA was very common, and up to five mycotoxins were detected in a single sample. The high AF and OTA levels as found in rice in this study are regarded as unsafe, and multi-occurrences of mycotoxins in the rice samples with possible additive or synergistic toxic effects in consumers raise concern with respect to public health

Accidental Acute Poisoning of two Children by Paracetamol-Codeine (1000 Mg/60 Mg) Association - A Case Report

Paracetamol is one of the most used drugs in the world. We report here two cases of children poisoning (less than 3 years old) who were accidentally administered an adult form of rectal suppository containing a combination of paracetamol-codeine (1000 mg/60 mg). The first child received a dose of 154 mg /kg of paracetamol and 9 mg/kg of codeine two times daily for 2 days. Clinical signs were vomiting and epigastric abdominal pains. Biochemistry showed an increase of liver enzymes (4 to 40 fold), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT). The second child received the suppositories discontinuously (two times daily) and showed less severe signs of intoxication. The administration of N-acetylcysteine at admission into hospital limited the toxic effects of paracetamol. The toxic effects of codeine, such as central nervous system (CNS) depression were not obvious in both cases.</p

Toxicokinetics of ochratoxin A in vervet monkeys (<I>Cecopithecus aethiops</I>).

NatuurwetenskappeChemie & PolimeerwetenskapPlease help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected]

Antihyperglycemic activity of Phyllanthus amarus (Schum & Thonn) in rats

Phyllanthus amarus Schum &amp; Thonn is a medicinal herb widely used in tropical and subtropical countries for diabetes mellitus treatment. The effect of aqueous extract (AE) and hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) of this plant on blood glucose levels was investigated in fasting normal and glucose loaded hyperglycemic rats (oral glucose tolerance test, OGTT) during 2-3 h using metformin as reference drug. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening revealed that P. amarus contains tannin, polysaccharide, saponin, flavonoid and alkaloid. The two extracts (2 g/kg) administered 30 min before glucose loading, decrease the blood glucose level in hyperglycemic rats within 30 min and 60 min after glucose loading (P &lt; 0.001). When the extracts (1 g/kg) were administrated 1 h prior to glucose loading a maximum activity was observed after 30 min. HAE was more efficient in reducing hyperglycemic peak and contain more flavonoid than AE.Key words: Phyllanthus amarus, antihyperglycemic, intestinal glucose absorption.Phyllanthus amarus Schum &amp; Thonn est une plante médicinale très utilisée dans les pays tropicaux et subtropicaux pour le traitement du diabète sucré. L'effet de l'extrait aqueux (EA) et de l’extrait hydroalcoolique(EHA) de la plante sur la glycémie a été évalué sur des rats normaux et en état d’hyperglycémie provoquée par voie orale (HPVO) pendant 2-3 h avec metformine comme drogue de référence. L’étude qualitative et le screening phytochimique ont révélé la présence de tanins, des polysaccharides, des saponines, des flavonoïdes et des alcaloïdes dans la plante. Administrés 30 min avant la surcharge glucidique les deux extraits (2 g / kg) réduit l’hyperglycémie chez les rats en état d’HPVO dans les 30 et 60 min après la surcharge glucidique (P &lt;0,001). Par contre, lorsque les extraits (1 g / kg) sont administrés 1 h avant la surcharge glucidique, l’activité maximale a été observée dès 30 min. Comparé à l’EA, l’EHA réduit plus significativement le pic hyperglycémique et contient beaucoupplus de flavonoïdes que l’EA.Mots clés : Phyllanthus amarus, antihyperglycemiante, absorption intestinal du glucos