Toxicological assessment of the hydroethanolic leaf extract of clerodendrum capitatum in Wistar rats

Introduction: Clerodendrum capitatum (Willd) Schumach. & Thonn (Lamiaceae) is used in African traditional medicine for the treatment of malaria, hypertension, obesity, jaundice and diabetes however there is lack of experimental data on its possible toxicity. This study investigated the acute and 28 days sub-chronic toxicity of C. capitatum in Wistar rats. Methods: In acute toxicity tests, a single administration of the hydroethanolic C. capitatum leaf extract (5 g/kg) was given orally to 5 female rats. The general behavior, adverse effects and mortality were recorded for up to 14 days post treatment. On the 15th day, the rats were weighed and euthanized for necropsy. In sub-chronic toxicity tests, the extract (4, 8 and 16 g/kg/day) was given orally to both male and female rats for 28 days. The animal body weight was recorded throughout the experiment, while hematological and biochemical parameters of blood and relative organs weights were evaluated on the 29th day. Results: Clerodendrum Capitatum did not cause any death or any hazardous symptoms of acute toxicity, showing an LD50 higher than 5 g/kg. Sub-chronic administration of C. capitatum resulted in no noticeable changes in weight gain and water or food consumption. White blood cells and hemoglobin increased while urea concentration, liver enzymes, total cholesterol and glucose concentrations significantly decreased in treated animals. No changes in macroscopical aspect of organs were observed in the animals. Conclusion: These results showed that acute or subchronic oral administration of the hydroethanolic leaf extract of Clerodendrum capitatum may be considered as relatively free of toxicity.Pan African Medical Journal 2016; 2

Chemical composition and antioxidant activities of different parts of Ficus sur

Introduction: Ficus sur is a plant widely used in traditional pharmacopoeia in Togo. So, this study aimed the assessment of antioxidant properties and identification of some compounds from the ethanolic extracts of different parts of the plant (leaves, fruits, roots, and barks). Methods: The phenolic and flavonoid contents of the ethanolic extracts of different organs of Ficus sur were assessed using conventional known methods. The DPPH radical scavenging and the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays were used to highlight the antioxidant activities. The different extract samples were also analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole-time of flight mass detector (ESI-QTOF). Results: Total phenolic contents (TPCs) for 1 mg of dry extract ranged from 489.40 ± 7.48 μg GAE (gallic acid equivalents) for the bark to 62.34 ± 2.66 μg GAE for unripe fruits. The bark exhibited the highest flavonoid content, which was closed to 90.20 ± 3.72 μg QE (quercetin equivalents)/mg of dry extract. The radical scavenging activities of the bark and unripe fruits were 56.50 ± 0.29 and 7.3 ± 0.30 μg QE/mg of dry extract, respectively. In the same order, the FRAP values of the two organs were 104.57 ± 4.75 and 19.61 ± 0.22 μmol FeSO4 Eq/mg of dry extract. Many compounds including notoginsenoside R10; 4’,5,7-trihydroxyflavan-3-ol; catechin; and boviquinone 4 were identified. Conclusion: The various organs of Ficus sur are a source of bioactive compounds especially phenolic compounds and flavonoids with antioxidant activit

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Extract Mixture of Annona senegalensis Pers. and Piliostigma thonningii (Schum.)

Introduction: Annona senegalensis Pers (Annonaceae) and Piliostigma thonningii (Schum.) (Leguminoseae)  are two medicinal plants used, often in combination, in traditional Togolese medicine for the treatment of diseases with an inflammatory component. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of the hydro-ethanolic extract (EHEM) of the combination of A. senegalensis and P. thonningii (1: 1, m: m). Methods: The ovalbumin-induced allergic airway asthma model was used. Animals made asthmatic were treated with EHEM at doses of 250 and 500 mg / kg. Inflammation markers including histamine, nitric oxide (NO), vascular leakage, leukocyte infiltration in the airways, and malondialdehyde (MDA), were measured. Results: Compared to the SNT group, EHEM inhibits the infiltration of the airways by leukocytes (850,00 × 103 ± 50 cells / mL vs 1830 × 103 ± 53,85 cells / mL for ST500 mg / kg, P <0,05). It inhibited vascular permeability to Evans Blue (10,40 ± 0,270 μg / mL vs ST500, p<0,05). It inhibited histamine release (13,95 ± 0,937 μg / mL vs 32,78 ± 1,044 μg / mL, p<0,05) and NO production (0,211 ± 0,008 Μm vs 0,315 ± 0,022 μM, p<0,05). It finally inhibited MDA production (14,66 ± 0,533 nM / mL vs 9,014 ± 0,366 nM / mL and 7,149 ± 0,300 nM / mL, p<0,05) in lung tissue. Conclusion: Our results suggest that EHEM inhibits OVA-induced inflammation. These results justify the use of this combination of plants in traditional Togolese medicine. Keywords: Inflammation, malondialdehyde, Annona senegalensis, Piliostigma thonningii

Hepatoprotective Effects of Vernonia amygdalina (Astereaceae) Extract on CCl4-Induced Liver Injury in Broiler Chickens

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract (VALE) on the carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity (CCl4) in broiler chickens. A total of 360-day-old broilers were divided into 4 treatments of 90 birds each consisting of 6 replicates of 15 birds each. The treatments were birds offered 1 mL/kg BW saline (control group), 100 mg/kg BW VALE, 1 mL/kg BW CCl4 (CCl4-treated group), and 100 mg/kg BW VALE + 1 mL/kg BW CCl4 (VALE + CCl4 group). Blood samples were collected at 42 days of age and analyzed for the liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and selected biochemical parameters. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design. The results obtained showed that VALE had the potential to mitigate the adverse effects of CCl4 on protein and lipid metabolism as reflected in the low serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, which is a marker of lipid peroxidation. The aqueous extract of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight showed a moderate hepatoprotective effect by reducing serum AST levels (p < 0.05). The levels of serum AST, ALP, ALT, and GGT were significantly increased in CCl4-treated birds compared to the control group, reflecting carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage. The VALE + CCl4 group showed a significantly higher amount of ALP compared to birds treated with carbon tetrachloride, suggesting a hepatoprotective effect. To conclude, Vernonia amygdalina aqueous extract can be used to confer protection against hepatotoxicity, which can induce severe hepatocellular damage in birds

Diuretic effects and subacute toxicity of Trema orientalis Linn leave extract in wistar rats

Trema Orientalis is a medicinal plant used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. The present study was undertaken to investigate phytochemical compounds, diuretic activity and subacute toxicity of the hydromethanolic leaf extracts of Trema orientalis. Phytochemical analysis carried out through color and precipitation reactions revealed the presence of many metabolites. The measurement of diuretic activity carried out by saline overload with 0.9% NaCl at a dose of 50 mL/kg in wistar rats showed that the hydromethanolic extract of Trema orientalis leaves had diuretic activity at a dose of 200 mg/kg of body weight. However, this diuretic activity was relatively low compared to the action of the reference molecule, furosemide. The study of the subacute toxicity of the extract took place over 28 days. No significant difference was recorded in the body weights during the 28 days of the study.  Likewise, the weight of the organs collected after sacrifice of the rats and their macroscopic aspects did not show any significant difference with those of the control group. The extract increased the count of white and red blood cells as wells as platelets, practically at the two doses used and caused a decrease in ALT at the dose of 500 mg/kg. The extract could have a beneficial effect like a boosting immunity and would not present any toxicity at these doses. Keywords: phytochemical, diuretic, subacute toxicity, Trema orientali