Cardiotoxicity induced by Cochinchina momordica seed extract in zebrafish.

Momordica cochinchinensis (Lour.) Spreng is an indigenous South Asian edible fruit, and seeds of Momordica cochinchinensis have been used therapeutically in traditional Chinese medicine. Previous studies have shown that M. cochinchinensis seed (Momordicae Semen) has various pharmaceutical properties such as antioxidant and anti-ulcer effects as well as contains secondary metabolites with potential anticancer activities such as triterpenoids and saponins. Recent studies reported that water extract and ethanol extract of M. cochinchinensi seed were tested on mammals using an acute toxic classic method as OECD guidelines 420. No matter injected intravenously or intramuscularly, animals died within several days. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to various doses of Cochinchina momordica seed extract (CMSE) from 2 dpf (days post fertilization, dpf) to 3 dpf. CMSE-induced cardiotoxicity such as pericardial edema, cardiac apoptosis, increased ROS production, cardiac neutrophil infiltration, decreased blood flow velocity, and reduced expression of three marker genes of cardiac functions were found in zebrafish roughly in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that CMSE may induce cardiotoxicity through pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

The in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity of Cardiospermum halicacabum L. and Momordica foetida Schumch. Et Thonn.

Two plants Cardiospermum halicacabum L. and Momordica foetida Schumch. Et Thonn traditionally used to treat symptoms of malaria in parts of East and Central Africa were screened for in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity. Using the nitro tetrazolium blue-based parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay as used by [Makler, M.T., Ries, J.M., Williams, J.A., Bancroft, J.E., Piper, R.C., Gibbins, B.L., Hinrichs, D.J., 1993. Parasite lactate dehydrogenase as an assay for Plasmodium falciparum drug sensitivity. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 48, 739-741], water extracts from the two plants were found to have weak in vitro antiplasmodial activity with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) greater than 28.00 microg/ml. In vivo studies of water extracts from the two plants showed that Momordica foetida given orally in the dose range 10, 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg twice daily prolonged survival of Plasmodium berghei (Anka) infected mice from 7.0+/-1.8 to 17.9+/-1.8 days. The water extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum L was toxic to mice, none surviving beyond day 4 of oral administration, with no evidence of protection against Plasmodium berghei malaria. The study emphasizes the discrepancy that might be found between in vitro and in vivo testing of plant-derived antimalarial extracts and the need to consider in vitro antiplasmodial data with this in mind. Further studies on Momordica foetida as a source of an antimalarial remedy are indicated on the basis of these results.