10 research outputs found
Activity-Guided Chemo Toxic Profiling of <i>Cassia occidentalis</i> (CO) Seeds: Detection of Toxic Compounds in Body Fluids of CO-Exposed Patients and Experimental Rats
Our prior studies have shown an association
between the deaths
of children and consumption of <i>Cassia occidentalis</i> (CO) seeds. However, the chemicals responsible for the CO poisoning
are not known. Therefore, the present study was designed to identify
the key moieties in CO seeds and their cytotoxicity in rat primary
hepatocytes and HepG2 cells. Activity-guided sequential extraction
and fractionation of the seeds followed by GC-MS analysis identified
the toxic compounds in the CO seeds. These identified compounds were
subsequently detected and quantified in blood and urine samples from
CO-exposed rats and CO poisoning human study cases. GC-MS analysis
of different fractions of methanol extracts of CO seeds revealed the
presence of five anthraquinones (AQs), viz. physcion, emodin, rhein,
aloe-emodin, and chrysophanol. Interestingly, these AQs were detected
in serum and urine samples from the study cases and CO-exposed rats.
Cytotoxicity analysis of the above AQs in rat primary hepatocytes
and HepG2 cells revealed that rhein is the most toxic moiety, followed
by emodin, aloe-emodin, physcion, and chrysophanol. These studies
indicate that AQ aglycones are responsible for producing toxicity,
which may be associated with symptoms of hepatomyoencephalopathy in
CO poisoning cases