Biocompatibility assessment and antiproliferative activity of Detarium microcarpum Guill. and Perr. fruit pulp extracts.

The consumption of tropical fruits rich in chemopreventive compounds are required to prevent cells carcinogenesis and proliferation. This study was designed to assess de biocompatibility of Detarium microcarpum fruit extract on normal fibroblasts and its antiproliferative potentiality on human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells. Primary dermal fibroblasts and human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells were treated with different concentrations of hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of D. microcarpum fruit pulp for 24h, 48h and 72h. The biocompatibility property of extracts on the normal fibroblasts and its antiproliferative activity on the human osteosarcoma cells were evaluated by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenytetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The biocompatibility study of D. microcarpum fruit pulp showed that the chloroform extract has exhibited the highest cytotoxic effect on normal fibroblasts followed by the ethyl acetate extract. Hexane extract wasn’t cytotoxic at concentrations of 125 and 250 µg/mL but caused more than 80 % of cell death at a concentration of 500 µg/mL. Methanol extract didn’t show a significant cytotoxic effect. Furthermore, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts showed the best antiproliferative activity on osteosarcoma cells. A complete cell death was observed when osteosarcoma cells were treated with ethyl acetate extract at all concentrations while chloroform extract at concentrations of 250 and 500 µg/mL caused a complete cells death. Methanol extract exhibited any antiprolifarative activity. Chloroform and ethyl acetate extract of fruits pulp of D. microcapum are potent source of anticancer phytomolecules and have potential to be a promising anti-osteosarcoma extract

An overview of anti-diabetic plants used in Gabon: Pharmacology and Toxicology

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ethnopharmacological relevance: The management of diabetes mellitus management in African communities, especially in Gabon, is not well established as more than 60% of population rely on traditional treatments as primary healthcare. The aim of this review was to collect and present the scientific evidence for the use of medicinal plants that are in currect by Gabonese traditional healers to manage diabetes or hyperglycaemia based here on the pharmacological and toxicological profiles of plants with anti-diabetic activity. There are presented in order to promote their therapeutic value, ensure a safer use by population and provide some bases for further study on high potential plants reviewed. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical studies were sourced using databases such as Online Wiley library, Pubmed, Google Scholar, PROTA, books and unpublished data including Ph.D. and Master thesis, African and Asian journals. Keywords including ‘Diabetes’ ‘Gabon’ ‘Toxicity’ ‘Constituents’ ‘hyperglycaemia’ were used. Results: A total of 69 plants currently used in Gabon with potential anti-diabetic activity have been identified in the literature, all of which have been used in in vivo or in vitro studies. Most of the plants have been studied in human or animal models for their ability to reduce blood glucose, stimulate insulin secretion or inhibit carbohydrates enzymes. Active substances have been identified in 12 out of 69 plants outlined in this review, these include Allium cepa and Tabernanthe iboga. Only eight plants have their active substances tested for anti-diabetic activity and are suitables for further investigation. Toxicological data is scarce and is dose-related to the functional parameters of major organs such as kidney and liver. Conclusion: An in-depth understanding on the pharmacology and toxicology of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is lacking yet there is a great scope for new treatments. With further research, the use of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is important to ensure the safety of the diabetic patients in Gabon.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effects of Abelmoschus esculentus and Alchornea cordifolia in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Background: Abelmoschus esculentus and Alchornea cordifolia are commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to treat several diseases. Abelmoschus esculentus is used to treat infertility and menorrhagia, while Alchornea cordifolia is used for the treatment of venereal diseases, cough, and diarrhoea. However, very few studies assessed the antidiabetic effects of these plants. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effects of aqueous extract of A. esculentus fruits and A. cordifolia leaves. Material and Methods: Fresh Abelmoschus esculentus fruits and the powder from the dried leaves of Alchornea cordifolia leaves were prepared by maceration in the aqueous phase (200 mg/100 mL and 50 mg/100 mL respectively) for 24 h, then filtered and concentrated in an oven at 45 °C. Diabete was induced to male Wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (150 mg kg−1, b.w). Rats with a blood glucose level greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL were selected, divided into groups and were daily administered orally with either aqueous extracts of A. esculentus at 30 mg kg−1 (AEAE30) or A. cordifolia at 400 mg kg−1 (AEAC400) for 14 consecutive days. For comparison, acarbose (100 mg kg−1), glibenclamide (5 mg kg−1), and 500 mg kg−1 metformin (Glucophage) were administered orally as reference drugs. Moreover, insuline was also used as a positive control and administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 5 IU/kg. Then, blood glucose levels, oral glucose tolerance test, oral maltose tolerance club, body weight and hemoglobin were assessed. For evaluation of the aqueous extracts in the intestinal transit, imodium (2mg kg−1, p.o) and fructine (5 mg kg−1, p.o) were used as a positive control to determine the spasmolytic and laxative activities, respectively. The histopathological study of the liver, kidney, pancreas, testis, epididymis, and seminal vesicle was also carried out using the hematoxyline &amp; eosin (H&E) technique. Results: AEAE30 and AEAC400 significantly reduced (P < 0.001) fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels and significantly prevented (P < 0.001) postprandial glycemia in AI-db rats following oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and oral maltose tolerance test (OMTT) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats (AI-db). In normoglycemic and insulin-resistant (IR) rats, AEAE30 significantly prevented the post-prandial blood glucose level during the OGTT (P < 0.01) only in normoglycemic rats. At the end of treatment, AEAE30 significantly reduced the relative weight of the liver (P < 0.01) and significantly increased (P < 0.001) the relative weight of the testes and pancreas while AEAC400 significantly increased the relative weight of the testes compared to untreated AI-db rats. The histopathological study revealed a restoration of alloxan-induced tissue damage close to the normal control group in AI-db animals treated with plant extracts, as well as an increase in sperm density in the epididymis unlike in the untreated AI-db group. Conclusion: These findings suggested that AEAE and AEAC exhibited hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activities and could be therefore a useful source of antidiabetic agent

Subchronic toxicity of aqueous extract of Alstonia boonei de wild. (apocynaceae) stem bark in normal rats

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methodology:&lt;/strong&gt; Wistar rats were randomly assigned into eight groups of five animals each: four male groups and four female groups. Each sex group had a control group receiving distilled water and three test groups receiving 200, 500 and 1000mg/kg respectively. Animal’s body weights were recorded on the first day and once a week for the four experiment weeks. The hematological analysis included total WBC count, total RBC count, Hb, %HCT, MCV, MCH and MCHC. Biochemical/serum profile studies include TG, TC, ALT, AST, urea and TP. Tissue specimens of the liver, kidney and lung were subjected to histological examination using standard hematoxylin-eosin staining.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; In male rats, aqueous extract showed significant decreases in relative weight of liver with extreme significance P&amp;lt;0.001 at a dose of 200mg/kg (vs. control group), P&amp;lt;0.001 of lung at all the doses, P&amp;lt;0.05 (200 and 500mg/kg) and P&amp;lt;0.01 (1000mg/kg) in heart weight. In relative kidney weight, only the dose of 1000mg/kg showed a significant increase vs. normal control male rats. Unlike male rats, only relative kidney weight in female rats was significantly different from the control group in a dose-dependent manner. The aqueous extract treated male groups showed significant increases P&amp;lt;0.001 (1000mg/kg) of total WBC count and MCHC, significant decreases of %HTC (dose response manner), P&amp;lt;0.05 total RBC count (at doses of 500 and 1000mg/kg) and Hb P&amp;lt;0.01 (500mg/kg) vs. normal male rats. In female rats, the haematological study showed significant increase P&amp;lt;0.01 of total WBC count (at the doses of 500 and 1000mg/kg), significant decreases P&amp;lt;0.05 and P&amp;lt;0.01 of total RBC respectively at the doses of 200 and 1000mg/kg, significant decrease of Hb with extreme significance P&amp;lt;0.001 at the dose 1000mg/kg, %HTC also decrease dose response manner vs. control female rats. Biochemical study showed in male rats significant decreases in level of TG P&amp;lt;0.001 (at the doses of 200 and 500mg/kg) and urea, although it showed any dose-dependent effect vs. control male rats. AST also decreases (P&amp;lt;0.05) in male rats at the dose of 200mg/kg but significantly increase P&amp;lt;0.001 at the dose of 500mg/kg. In the female rats, biochemical study revealed significant increases in level of TG P&amp;lt;0.001 and urea P&amp;lt;0.01 at the dose of 200mg/kg and significant decreases in level of TG P&amp;lt;0.01, AST P&amp;lt;0.05 and urea P&amp;lt;0.05 at the dose of 500mg/kg (vs. control female rats). Microscopically, there were mild hepatic and renal tissue injuries supporting the hematological analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/strong&gt; The results indicated that aqueous extract of &lt;em&gt;Alstonia boonei&lt;/em&gt; De Wild is toxic in high doses.&lt;/p&gt;</jats:p