Assessment of the acute and subacute toxicity of the aqueous extract of Moroccan Ferula communis fruit in a mouse model.

Ferula communis L. is thought to possess a wide range of therapeutic qualities. This plant's safety is critical regarding its potential uses as a medicine. Using the techniques outlined in the OECD recommendations, the present study aimed to assess the acute and subacute toxicity profiles of Ferula communis aqueous extract (FC-Ext) in mice. In the acute study, the FC-Ext was administered to adult male and female Swiss albino mice through oral and intraperitoneal routes at doses of 0-4 g/kg. The general behavioral effects, mortality rates, and latency of mortality were evaluated for a period of 14 days. For the sub-acute dose study, the FC-Ext was administered orally to adult mice at doses of 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg on a daily basis for 28 days. Body weight and selected biochemical and hematological parameters were measured, and histological examinations of the liver, kidney, and spleen were conducted to assess any signs of organ damage at the end of the treatment period. The results of the acute toxicity study demonstrated that the LD50 values for the oral and intraperitoneal administration of FC-Ext were 3.6 g/kg and 2.3 g/kg, respectively. In the subacute toxicity study of FC-Ext, no significant changes in body weight were observed. However, a substantial increase in the weights of the liver, kidney, and spleen was observed in male mice. The administration of FC-Ext to mice at doses higher than 250 mg/kg resulted in a decrease in white blood cells and platelets in both sexes and a reduction in red blood cells and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration in males and hemoglobin in females. No changes in biochemical parameters were observed. Microscopic examination of vital organs such as the liver, kidney, and spleen revealed no significant injuries. Based on the current results, the aqueous extract of Ferula communis has low toxicity. These findings provide important information about the toxicity profile of the traditional medicine plant Ferula communis.

Psychometric properties of Clinical Learning Environment Inventory and its association with Moroccan nursing students' satisfaction: A PLS-SEM approach.

Background: The Clinical Learning Environment (CLE) is integral to pre-registration nursing curricula. Assessing the student's perceptions of their CLE is essential to adjust clinical placement to trainees' needs. Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI) appears to be widely used in measuring CLE, but no previous study has reported a full structural validity and its association with students' satisfaction in the Moroccan context. Objectives: This study investigated the psychometric properties of the CLEI and its subscales association with Moroccan nursing students' satisfaction. Methods: The research design was descriptive, cross-sectional, and conducted from March and June 2022 using convenience sampling in three nursing institutes of the Fez-Meknes region of Morocco. The selected sample involved Moroccan nursing students undertaking clinical practice. First, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to determine the factor structure of the pilot sample (N = 143). The second sample (N = 206) was then used to confirm this structure using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) confirmatory composite analysis (CCA). Finally, using a bootstrapping method, the significance of the structural path was evaluated. Results: The CLEI scale depicted convergent validity (AVE = 0.56 - 0.71), discriminant validity, estimated by the square roots of AVE and bootstrapped HTMT confidence interval, and significant reliability (rhoC = 0.83 - 0.92). Using a bootstrapping approach, structural path significance displayed a substantial association between task orientation and students' satisfaction (ß = 0.29, p <0.001). This ascertains that nurse students need well-planned guidelines from their facilitators in clinical wards. Conclusions: The CLEI instrument revealed adequate psychometric properties and supported its original structure. As a result, the instrument might be used to measure students' perceptions of their CLE. Task orientation appeared to be the most important factor influencing the students' satisfaction in CLE.

Berberis vulgaris L. effects on oxidative stress and liver injury in lead-intoxicated mice.

Background Berberis vulgaris L. (BV), commonly known as "Aghriss" in Moroccan pharmacopoeia, is used to cure liver disorders and other diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of BV aqueous extract against lead-induced toxicity in mice liver. Methods Sixty IOPS mice were divided into six groups and were treated as follows: group 1 (normal control) received double distilled water; group 2 (toxic control) received lead acetate (5 mg/kg body weight/day) in double distilled water for 40 days; groups 3-6 received BV aqueous extract at doses of 25, 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight , respectively, once daily for 30 days from 11 day after beginning of lead acetate exposure to the end of the experiment. Results Toxic control group showed a significant alteration of serum alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), total bilirubin (TB), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reduced glutathione (GSH). Histological assessment of lead-intoxicated mice liver revealed alterations in hepatocytes and focal necrosis. BV treatment significantly prevented lead accumulation, increased ALT, AST, TC, and TB, inhibited lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyls(PCO) formation. Additionally, BV extract normalized the antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD and GPx), GSH and architecture of liver tissues. Conclusions BV aqueous extract exerts significant hepatoprotective effects against lead-induced oxidative stress and liver dysfunction. The BV effect may be mediated through the enhancement of antioxidant status, lead-chelating abilities and free radicals quenching.

Acute and sub-chronic toxicity of a lyophilised aqueous extract of Centaurium erythraea in rodents.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: An aqueous concoction made from centaury (Centaurium erythraea (L.) Rafn., (Gentianaceae) whole plant is used in the Moroccan traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes, as well as a number of other diseases. No systematic study of the potential toxicity of the plant has been described. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the safety of an aqueous extract of Centaurium erythraea whole plant (CE-extract) by determining its potential toxicity after acute and sub-chronic administration in rats and mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the acute study, the lyophilised CE-extract was administered to adult IOPS OFA mice in single oral doses of 1-15 g/kg given by gavage, and single intraperitoneal (i.p.) doses of 1-14 g/kg. General behavioral adverse effects, mortality, and latency of mortality were determined for up to 14 days. In the sub-chronic dose study, the CE-extract was administered orally at doses of 100, 600 and 1200 mg/kg daily for 90 days to Wistar rats. Body weight and selected biochemical and hematological parameters were determined every 30 days and at the end of 90 days of daily administration; sections of liver and kidney were examined histologically for any signs of organ damage at the end of the treatment. RESULTS: In the acute study in mice, there were no deaths or any signs of toxicity observed after oral administration of single doses of the CE-extract at any dose level up to the highest dose tested (15 g/kg), which was the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL). However, the mortality rate as well as the acute toxicity of the i.p. administered CE-extract increased progressively with increasing dose. The NOAEL for the i.p. dose was 6 g/kg while the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) was 8 g/kg; the calculated acute toxicity (LD(50)) of i.p. administered CE-extract in mice was 12.13 g/kg. In sub-chronic studies in rats, the CE-extract (administered orally at daily doses of 100, 600 and 1200 mg/kg for 90 days), did not cause any changes in hematological and biochemical parameters, except a small reduction of mean corpuscular volume, and a decrease in serum glucose and triglyceride levels at the higher doses. Histopathological examination of the liver and kidneys at the end of the study showed normal architecture suggesting no morphological disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the lack of toxicity of the CE-extract given by the oral route, and relatively high NOAEL values for the i.p. dose in the acute study in mice, as well as lack of mortality or clinically significant adverse changes in the biological and hematological parameters, and the morphology of liver and kidneys in rats after 90 days of daily dosing, it may be concluded that the CE-extract is relatively non-toxic. Also, in view of the doses consumed empirically in traditional medicine in Morocco, there is a wide margin of safety for the therapeutic use of Centaurium erythraea.