Evaluation of acute, subacute toxicity and in vivo impact of aqueous decoction of Flemingia faginea Guill. & Perr. (Barker) leafy stems on NMRI mice and normotensive Wistar rats

Introduction: Flemingia faginea, a Fabaceae family medicinal plant, has been used for a long time in Burkina Faso for the treatment of hypertension and excess salt. However, the safety of the preparations derived from this plant has not yet been scientifically documented. This study aimed to evaluate the acute and subacute oral toxicity of the leafy stems aqueous decoction of F. faginea (FAD) in healthy normotensive mice and rats and the impact on their normal blood pressure. Material and Methods: The acute oral toxicity study was conducted according to the toxicity class method of the Economic Cooperation and Development Organization (OECD) guideline 423. Subacute toxicity was carried out according to the OECD Guideline 407 for repeated dose chemical toxicity for 28 days. Hematological and biochemical analyzes of blood were performed after autopsy. An evaluation of the impact of the extract on the blood pressure of rats was performed using the non-invasive method. Results: A single oral dose of 2000 mg/kg bw to mice did not cause mortality or clinical signs or symptoms of toxicity during the 14-day study. The FAD was classified in the fifth category of the Harmonized System of Classification of the United Nations and considered practically safe with an estimated 50% lethal dose of 5000 mg/kg bw. Daily gavage of male and female rats with doses of 100,500 and 1000 mg/kg did not result in mortality or significant adverse effects during the 28days of experimentation. There were no significant differences in body weight gain, food &water consumption or relative vital organ weights in treated animals. Analysis of the hematological and biochemical parameters of blood serum did not show significant differences between treated and control animals in this study. Additionally, no aberrant changes were found in the systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the test animals during the 28 days of inclusion compared to those of the control group. Conclusion: The extract FAD could be considered safe within the doses tested for the results of the toxicological evaluation. However, microscopic, histopathological, and subchronic investigations will have to be carried out to confirm the safety of this extract use

Phytochemical profile, acute oral toxicity, antioxidant, and antispasmodic effects of ethyl acetate and aqueous residual fractions of Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex A. DC (Ebenaceae) leaves on isolated duodenum of rat

Introduction: Diospyros mespiliformis Hochst. ex A. Rich (Ebenaceae) is a nutritional, artisanal and medicinal plant. It is used in alternative medicine in Burkina Faso for the treatment of conjunctivitis, menorrhagia, dysentery, and especially diarrhea. Aims: Our study aimed to evaluate the chemical profile, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, the safety of use, and the spasmolytic effects of the fractions obtained from the aqueous decoction of the leaves of Diospyros mespiliformis. Methods: Phytochemical screening by HPTLC and the determination of compounds of interest were carried out. The antioxidant activity was evaluated according to the ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and LPO methods. The inhibitory activity of Phospholipase A2 and 15-lipoxygenase was evaluated. Acute oral toxicity was carried out on female mice (NMRI). The ex vivo spasmolytic effect of the fractions was tested on isolated rat duodenum using ACh and BaCl2 as contracting agents.  Results: At the end of these tests, the fractions contain flavonoids, tannins, sterols, triterpenes, and saponosides. The content of total phenolics was respectively for the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) and the residual aqueous fraction (RAF) 84.15±1.73 mg EAT/g and 89.67±2.35 mg EAT/g. That of flavonoids was respectively 45.91 ± 0.98 mg EQ/g and 10.46±0.28 mg EQ/g for the two fractions. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of EAF for the ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP tests were 2.26±0.16 μg/mL, 22.34±7.23 μg/mL and 1136.25±0.90 mol EAA/g respectively, and an inhibition % of 43.80 ± 6.31% for LPO. For RAF, the IC50 were in the same range as EAF of 16.82±0.23 μg/mL, 18.58±2.91 μg/mL, 1138.4±1.27 mol EAA/g and an inhibition of 45.14±10.35% for LPO. The fractions had an inhibitory effect on phospholipase A2 compared to Betamethasone. Finally, the most active EAF caused a spasmolytic effect with Emax of 87.4±15.71% and 90.40±7.84%, respectively, during contractions induced by BaCl2 and ACh. Conclusion: Finally, this work provided scientific data and could justify the use of D. mespiliformis leaves in the treatment of diarrhea. Keywords: Diospyros mespiliformis, Leaves, Antioxidants, Anti-inflammatory, Safety of use, Spasmolyti