Aqueous extracts of unripe fruits of Melia azedarach L. var. azedarach: Investigation of cyanide presence and toxicological evaluation

Melia azedarach L., chinaberry, has been studied for its insecticidal and medicinal action. Moreover, it is a species which is known for its capacity of producing cyanogenic composts and for the presence of saponines and polar compounds in unripe fruits, that could be toxic in domestic animals and human individuals. The goal of this work was to determine the presence of cyanide in unripe fruits of M. azedarach var. azedarach, a species adapted to the central region of Rio Grande do Sul state, and to carry out a toxicological evaluation, in rats, of aqueous extracts of these plant structures. Unripe fruits were harvested in March 2005, in the area of the Federal University of Santa Maria. The presence of cyanide was evaluated through voltammetric measurements and the toxicity was analyzed through the evaluation of mortality, behavioral changes, and the hepatic and renal functions of Wistar rats. The extracts were administered by oral and intraperitoneal route, at doses of 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0% (w/v, 1mL/kg). It was concluded that unripe fruits of chinaberry did not present cyanide in their composition and that the aqueous extracts, in the analyzed doses, did not cause symptoms of toxicity in rats

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http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2008v21n3p143Melia azedarach L., cinamomo, tem sido estudada pela sua ação inseticida e medicinal. Contudo, é uma espécie conhecida pela sua capacidade de produzir compostos cianogênicos e pela presença de saponinas e de compostos polares em frutos verdes, podendo causar intoxicação em animais domésticos e em seres humanos. O presente trabalho teve como objetivos a verificação da presença de cianeto em  frutos verdes de M. azedarach var. azedarach, espécie adaptada à região central do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, e a avaliação toxico-lógica, em ratos, de extratos aquosos dessas estruturas vegetais. Os frutos foram colhidos em março de 2005, em área da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. A presença de cianeto foi avaliada através de medidas voltamétricas e a toxicidade foi analisada através de avaliação da mortalidade, de alterações comportamentais e das funções hepática e renal em ratos Wistar. Os extratos foram administrados através das vias oral e intraperitoneal, nas doses de 2,5,  5,0 e 10% (p/v, 1mL/kg). Pôde-se concluir que frutos verdes de cinamomo não apresentam cianeto em sua composição e extratos aquosos, nas doses analisadas,  não causam sintomas de toxicidade em ratos.Aqueous extracts of unripe fruits of Melia azedarach L. var. azedarach: Investigation of cyanide presence and toxicological evaluation. Melia azedarach L., chinaberry, has been studied for its insecticidal and medicinal action. Moreover, it is a species which is known for its capacity of producing cyanogenic composts and for the presence of saponines and polar compounds in unripe fruits, that could be toxic in domesticanimals and human individuals. The goal of this work was to determine the presence of cyanide in unripe fruits of M. azedarach var. azedarach, a species adapted to the central region of Rio Grande do Sul state, and to carry out a toxicological evaluation, in rats, of aqueous extracts of these plant structures. Unripe fruits were harvested in March 2005, in the area of the Federal University of Santa Maria. The presence of cyanide was evaluated through voltammetric measurements and the toxicity was analyzed through the evaluation of mortality, behavioral changes, and the hepatic and renal functions of Wistar rats. The extracts were administered by oral and intraperitoneal route, at doses of 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0% (w/v, 1mL/kg). It was concluded that unripe fruits of chinaberry did not present cyanide in their composition and that the aqueous extracts, in the analyzed doses,did not cause symptoms of toxicity in rats