The toxicological assessment of ethanolic whole-plant extract of Eleucine indica in Wistar albino rats

Introduction: Eleucine indica is a medicinal plant used by the Ibibios of Nigeria in the treatment of malaria but its safety with chronic use has not been determined. This study was to evaluate the toxicological effects of the extract in adult albino Wistar rats.Methods: The rats of both sexes were randomized into 5 groups of 6 animals per group and orally administered with extract (200, 400 and 600 mg/kg) for groups 2–4, respectively. Group 1 received distilled water (10 mL/kg) orally and served as negative control while group 5 was administered with 100 mg/kg of silymarin orally. Drugs were administered on alternate days for 28 days at 09.00 am. Toxic manifestations and mortality were monitored daily and weight changes of animals were recorded every week. On day 29, after an overnight fast, the animals were weighed, anaesthetized with light chloroform. An autopsy was performed during which any macroscopic abnormalities were noted. The brain, heart, liver, spleen, kidney and lungs were weighed immediately after removal. Samples of these organs were fixed in 10 formalin and kept in that solution for further histopathological examination. Data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey Kramer multiple comparison post-test.Results: The results showed that organ weights were not affected but animal weights increased significantly (P < 0.01-0.001). Relative organ weights were not affected. The extract caused, at low doses, slight inflammation of the liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys and brain. With high dose of the extract, the spleen and lungs showed moderate inflammation. The lungs also showed moderate interstitial fibrosis.Conclusion: Based on these results, the plant has a potential to damage the lungs when used on the long term. Its use as herbal remedy should be for short periods at a time

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic potentials of Eleucine indica

Abstract The plant Eleucine indica has a long ethnobotanical history because of its use in the treatment painful and inflammatory conditions. This study was aimed at investigating the antiinflammatory and analgesic activities of ethanolic extract of the whole plant in mice. The antiinflammatory activity was studied using carrageenin, egg albumin and xylene as phlogistic agents. The analgesic investigation was carried out against acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin-induced pain and hot-plate test. The extract (200 -600 mg/kg) showed significant (p< 0.05 -0.001) dose-dependent reductions in the mouse paw oedema caused by carrageenin, egg albumin and ear oedema induced by xylene. Mice pretreated with the extract (200 -600 mg/kg) showed a significant (p<0.05 -0.001) dose -dependent reduction in hind paw-licking caused by formalin, dose-dependent and significant (p< 0.001) reduction in acetic acid-induced abdominal constrictions and stretching of the hind limbs and a dose-dependent and significant (p<0.001) increase in the latency response in the hot plate test. These results taken together, show that E. indica extract has anti-inflammatory and analgesic potentials that can be exploited in the management of pain and inflammatory conditions

Antiplasmodial activity of methanol leaf extract of Citrus aurantifolia (Christm) Swingle

Introduction: Citrus aurantifolia (Christm) is a plant used for the treatment of various ailments including malaria. This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo antiplasmodial efficacy of methanol leaf extract of C. aurantifolia in Swiss albino mice. Methods: The median lethal dose (LD50) was determined by intraperitoneal administration of different doses of the extract (100–4000 mg/kg) to 6 groups of 3 mice each and the animals were observed for 24 hours for physical signs of toxicity. To evaluate the antiplasmodial activity of the extract, three models were used: suppressive, curative and repository. Doses of the extract used were 320, 640 and 960 mg/kg/d in mice, with Chloroquine (5 mg/kg/d) as standard drug. Pyrimethamine (1.2 mg/kg/d) was used as the standard drug for the repository test and distilled water (10 mL/kg/d) as control in all models. Results: In all models, the low dose (320 mg/kg) of the extract produced the highest chemosuppressive effects in all models (P < 0.001). Mice treated with extract lived longer than those in the control group (P < 0.001). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and cardiac glycosides and the LD50 of 3280 mg/kg ± 0.01 shows that the extract has low toxicity. Conclusion: The result of this study shows that C. aurantifolia has antiplasmodial properties which support its use in ethnomedicine in the treatment of malaria

Antiplasmodial and antioxidant activities of methanolic leaf extract and fractions of Alchornea cordifolia

Introduction: Alchornea cordifolia is widely used in Nigeria for the treatment of malaria. This study was aimed at assessing the in vivo antimalarial activities of the extract and fractions (n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, butanol, aqueous) of the A. cordifolia in Plasmodium berghei infected mice as well as the antioxidant potentials of the crude extract and its fractions. Methods: Antioxidant activity was assessed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide scavenging, reducing power and hydrogen peroxide assays. By orally administering the extract (120 mg/kg, 240 mg/kg and 360 mg/kg) and fractions (240 mg/kg), antimalarial activities were evaluated using suppressive, prophylactic and curative tests. Chloroquine (5 mg/kg), pyrimethamine (1.2 mg/kg) and artesunate (5 mg/kg) were used as positive controls. Results: The crude extract showed a significant (P < 0.05–0.001) dose-dependent antimalarial activity in the suppressive, prophylactic and curative tests and increased animal survival time. All fractions caused significant reduction in parasitaemia with the ethylacetate fraction showing the highest activity. The extract and the fractions showed a significant (P < 0.05–0.001) dose- dependent antioxidant activity. Conclusion: Alchornea cordifolia exhibited significant antimalarial and antioxidant potentials, which may be useful in the on-going fight against malaria

Effect of subchronic administration of ethanolic leaf extract of croton zambesicus on biochemical parameters of rats

The biochemical effcts of ethanolic leaf extract of Croton zambesicus on serum alkaline phosphatase(SAP),aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ,alanine aminotransferase(ALT),serum total protein and albumin were studied.The levels of these enzymes and that of total protein and albumin in the extract treated rats were not different from that of the control significantly.Thus,the extract has a negligible toxicity at the doses studied. Keywords: Croton zambesicus, euphorbiaceace, subchronic, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphataseNigerian Journal of Natural Products and Medicine Vol. 9 2005: 53-5

In vivo antimalarial activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Stachytarpheta cayennensis

Objective: To evaluate the in vivo antiplasmodial activity of the ethanol leaf extract of Stachytarpheta cayennensis   in the treatment of various ailment in Niger Delta region of Nigeria, in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Materials and Methods: The ethanolic leaf extract of Stachytarpheta cayennensis (90-270 mg/kg/day) was screened for blood schizonticidal activity against chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium berghei berghei in mice. The schizonticidal effect during early and established infections was investigated. Result: Stachytarpheta cayennensis (90-270 mg/kg/day) exhibited significant (P < 0.05) blood schizonticidal activity both in 4-day early infection test and in established infection with a considerable mean survival time comparable to that of the standard drug, chloroquine, 5 mg/kg/day. Conclusion: The leaf extract possesses significant (P < 0.05) antiplasmodial activity which confirms it′s use in folkloric medicine in the treatment of malaria

In vivo antiplasmodial potential of aqueous seed extract of Ricinus communis

Introduction: Ricinus communis is used by the people of Niger-Delta region of Nigeria, for the treatment of various ailments, especially malaria. This study evaluated the antiplasmodial potentials of the aqueous seed extract of R. communis, using Plasmodium berghei berghei. Methods: Acute toxicity study was carried out to determine the median lethal dose (LD50) of the extract. Antiplasmodial effect of the extract was assessed in suppressive, repository/ prophylactic and curative models, using Swiss albino mice (15-29 g). Mice were infected intraperitoneally with 0.2 mL of parasitized blood. Extract doses administered were 54.77, 109.54 and 164.32 mg/kg/d of the seed extract and each dose had 6 replicates. Artesunate (5 mg/kg/d) and pyrimethamine (1.2 mg/kg/d) were used as standard drugs, while distilled water (10 mL/kg/d) served as control. Results: Acute toxicity study produced LD50 of 547.72 mg/kg. The extract demonstrated a dosedependent reduction in parasitaemia in all tests. At the end of 4-day test, suppressive effect of 20.80, 49.00, 75.00 and 88.40% were obtained for doses 54.77, 109.54 and 164.32 mg/kg/d of the seed extract and artesunate, respectively. In the repository test pyrimethamine was more potent (72.26%) than the seed extract (9.47%–51.42%). The extract also exhibited appreciable curative effect. The activity of the seed extract was significant when compared with the control (P < 0.05). Mice treated with the seed extract and drugs survived for longer duration than the control group. Conclusion: The aqueous seed extract of R. communis has antiplasmodial potential and its active principle should be elucidated and further investigated to help in the ongoing fight against malaria