Chemical profiling, toxicity assessment, anti-diarrhoeal, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of Canarium schweinfurthii Engl. (Burseraceae) bark in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The bark of Canarium schweinfurthii is used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of diabetes, pain, malaria, fever and diarrhoea. AIM OF THE STUDY: The chemical phytoconstituents, antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects and safety profile of the aqueous extract of Canarium schweinfurthii bark (AECSB) were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyse the phytochemical composition. In the acute toxicity test, AECSB were administered up to 2 g/kg by oral gavage. For the subacute toxicity test (28 days), rats in group 1 (control) received no AECSB, while rats in groups 2-4 were administered different doses of AECSB. Charcoal meal transit and castor oil-induced diarrhoea models were used to study the antidiarrheal effect, while egg albumin/carrageenan and acetic acid/tail immersion models were used for the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive studies, respectively. With the exception of the acute toxicity experiment, AECSB was administered orally at doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg. RESULTS: Bioactive phytoconstituents identified include p-cymene, δ-terpinene, linalool and phytol. No adverse effects or mortality were observed in acute and subacute studies. Treatment with AECSB (28 days) had no significant effect on organ weight, biochemical, hematologic and histopathologic parameters compared to the control groups (p > 0.05). Comparable antidiarrheal and antinociceptive effects were observed in both AECSB- and standard drug-treated groups, while the 400 and 800 mg/kg AECSB-treated groups showed remarkable anti-inflammatory effects compared to the standard drug-treated and control groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: AECSB has antidiarrheal, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects and can be safely used for therapeutic purposes.

Phytochemical profiling, toxicity studies, wound healing, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of Musa paradisiaca L. Musaceae (Plantain) stem extract in rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The stem of Musa paradisiaca (plantain) has found application in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes, inflammation, ulcers and wound injuries. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigated the phytochemical composition, toxicity profile, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of aqueous Musa paradisiaca stem extract (AMPSE) in rats. METHODS: Phytochemical analysis of methanol-MPSE was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Acute toxicity testing was carried out through oral administration of a single dose of AMPSE up to 5 g/kg. Four separate groups of rats were used for the subacute toxicity testing (n = 6). Group 1 served as a normal control and did not receive AMPSE, groups 2-4 received AMPSE daily by gavage for 28 days. In the experiments with excision and incision wounds, the rats were treated with 10 w/w AMPS extract. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of AMPSE were assessed using egg albumin-induced paw oedema and acetic acid-induced writhing methods, respectively. For the subacute, anti-inflammatory and analgesic studies, AMPSE was administered to the experimental rats at doses of 300, 600 and 900 mg/kg body weight. RESULTS: Bioactive compounds identified include ß-sitisterol, n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, diethyl sulfate, p-hydroxynorephedrine, phenylephrine, nor-pseudoephedrine, metaraminol, pseudoephedrine and vanillic acid. No signs of toxicity and no deaths were observed in all the groups. For the groups treated with AMPSE for 28 days, a significant reduction in alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea, sodium, chloride, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed while high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glutathione and superoxide dismutase increased compared to control (p < 0.05). In wound healing experiments, AMPSE showed greater percent wound contraction and wound resistance fracture compared to the povidone-iodine (PI) treated and control groups. Treatment with 900 mg/kg AMPSE resulted in significant (p < 0.05) anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects compared to the control. CONCLUSION: This study shows that AMPSE is not toxic but contains biologically active compounds with hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and wound-healing effects. Treatment of rats with AMPSE has shown that AMPSE has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective, lipid-lowering and wound-healing effects, supporting its therapeutic use in ethnomedicine.

A review on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.).

In traditional medicine, Ocimum gratissimum (clove basil) is used in the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes, cancer, inflammation, anaemia, diarrhoea, pains, and fungal and bacterial infections. The present study reviewed the phytochemicals, essential oils, and pharmacological activities of O. gratissimum. The bioactive compounds extracted from O. gratissimum include phytochemicals (oleanolic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, epicatechin, sinapic acid, rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, apigenin, nepetoidin, xanthomicrol, nevadensin, salvigenin, gallic acid, catechin, quercetin, rutin, and kaempfero) and essential oils (camphene, ß-caryophyllene, α- and ß-pinene, α-humulene, sabinene, ß-myrcene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, trans-ß-ocimene, linalool, α- and δ-terpineol, eugenol, α-copaene, ß-elemene, p-cymene, thymol, and carvacrol). Various in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that O. gratissimum and its bioactive constituents possess pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antidiarrhoeal, and antimicrobial properties. This review demonstrated that O. gratissimum has a strong preventive and therapeutic effect against several diseases. The effectiveness of O. gratissimum to ameliorate various diseases may be attributed to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties as well as its capacity to improve the antioxidant systems. However, despite the widespread pharmacological activities of O. gratissimum, further experiments in human clinical trial studies are needed to establish effective and safe doses for the treatment of various diseases.

Ameliorative effect of aqueous leaf extract of Solanum aethiopicum on phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia and toxicity in rats.

Solanum aethiopicum is used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of overweight, constipation and anaemia. This study evaluated the ameliorative effect of aqueous leaf extract of S. aethiopicum on phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia in rats. Acute toxicity was determined in male and female rats (n = 5/group/sex) by oral administration of single dose of up to 5000 mg/kg of the S. aethiopicum extract. The experimental rats were randomly grouped into five (5) groups of 6 rats each. Group (i) served as normal control, group (ii) negative control, group (iii) standard drug-5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate, groups (iv) and (v), 200 and 400 mg/kg of S. aethiopicum extract respectively. Phenylhydrazine (PHZ) was administered intraperitoneally at the dose of 50 mg/kg body weight for two consecutive days to groups (ii-v). After 14 days, the rats were sacrificed; blood, liver and kidney were collected. The haematological, lipid profile, liver and kidney function parameters were determined and the histopathology of the liver and kidney were examined. In acute toxicity study, no signs of toxicity or death were recorded. The study shows an observable significant (P < 0.05) increase in packed cell volume, haemoglobin and red blood cell counts at 400 mg/kg S. aethiopicum extract in both the male and female rats when compared to other groups. Solanum aethiopicum extract at the dose of 400 mg/kg reduced aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea, creatinine and chloride. The results of this study lent credence to the use of S. aethiopicum leaf as an anti-anaemic tonic with a wide margin of safety and hepato/reno-protective potentials.