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 garcinia kola heckel: traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and toxicology.

PURPOSE: Garcinia kola is a medicinal plant commonly known as bitter kola. It is utilised in ethnomedicine for the treatment of diarrhoea, bronchitis, bacterial infection, cough, hepatitis, gonorrhoea, laryngitis, food poison, liver and gastric diseases. OBJECTIVE: This study reviewed the phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and ethnomedicinal potentials of G. kola. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An extensive review was performed using electronic literature collated from ScienceDirect, Springer, Wiley, and PubMed databases. RESULTS: Phytochemical analysis revealed the isolation of several chemical compounds including 9-octadecenoic acid, linoleic acid, 14-methylpentadecanoic acid, 1-butanol, hexadecanamide, I-4',II-4',I-5,II-5,I-7,II-7-hexahydroxy-I-3,II-8-biflavanone, lanost-7-en-3-one, kolaflavanone (8E)-4-geranyl-3,5-dihydroxybenzophenone, glutinol, Garcinia biflavonoid (GB-2a-II-4'-OMe), 9,19-cyclolanost-24-en-3-ol, 24-methylene, tirucallol, lupeol, ß-amyrin, obtusifoliol and Kolaviron. Diverse pharmacological in-vivo and in vitro investigations revealed that G. kola has anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, anti-asthmatic, neuroprotective, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that G. kola has preventive and therapeutic potentials against various diseases in both in vivo and in vitro studies and therefore can be utilised as a raw material in the pharmaceutical industries for the development of therapeutic products. However, there is a need for clinical trial experiments to validate and provide accurate and substantial information on the required safe dosage and efficacy for the treatment of several diseases.

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.

Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract ameliorates phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia and toxicity in Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVES: Ocimum gratissimum L. is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of bacterial infections and anaemia. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of O. gratissimum leaf extract on phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced anaemia and toxicity in rats. METHODS: The experimental rats were divided into five groups (A-E) (n=6/sex/group). Each rat in groups B-E was intraperitoneally administered 50 mg/kg of PHZ for two consecutive days. Group A (normal control) did not receive any PHZ, group B (negative control), group C received orally 5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate whereas groups D and E received 200 and 400 mg/kg O. gratissimum leaf extract respectively, for 14 days. RESULTS: Red blood cell count, packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and high-density lipoprotein increased significantly (p<0.05) whereas low-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein decreased in extract-treated groups when compared to the negative control. O. gratissimum (400 mg/kg extract) and standard drug (5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate) significantly (p<0.05) reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that O. gratissimum leaf extract has a restorative effect on the phenylhydrazine-induced metabolic distortions in the blood, liver, and kidney, and therefore could be used therapeutically as an anti-anaemic tonic.

Psidium guajava leaf extract improves gastrointestinal functions in rats and rabbits: an implication for ulcer and diarrhoea management.

PURPOSE: Psidium guajava L. (Family, Myrtaceae) is reportedly used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of diarrhoea, inflammation, and gastroenteritis. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the gastrointestinal function of Psidium guajava leaf extract (PGLE) in rats and rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Crude ethanolic PGLE was subjected to phytochemical and toxicity tests (acute and sub-acute). Standard analytical procedures were employed to evaluate the in vivo gastrointestinal motility, and gastroprotective effect of PGLE against aspirin-induced ulcers. RESULTS: In the phytochemical analysis, phenols were the highest (48.32 mg) followed by flavonoids (32.74 mg) and least in tannins (7.31 mg). The acute toxicity of PGLE was >6000 mg/kg. Administration of PGLE decreased significantly (p < 0.05) the body weight, while the liver biomarkers were not significantly altered (p > 0.05) when compared to the control. PGLE significantly increased extractible mucus weight and lowered gastric acid secretion in rats (p < 0.05). PGLE decreased significantly (p < 0.05) ulcer scores and indexes, and increased percentage ulcer inhibition in a dose-dependent manner compared to the negative and omeprazole-treated groups. PGLE dose-dependently inhibited basal amplitudes of contractions, and significantly inhibited acetylcholine-induced contractions, terminating them completely at higher doses. CONCLUSION: PGLE may be a good anti-ulcer and anti-diarrhoeal agent, raising the prospect of novel drug development for such applications.

Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract ameliorates phenylhydrazine-induced anaemia and toxicity in Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVES: Ocimum gratissimum L. is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of bacterial infections and anaemia. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of O. gratissimum leaf extract on phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced anaemia and toxicity in rats. METHODS: The experimental rats were divided into five groups (A-E) (n=6/sex/group). Each rat in groups B-E was intraperitoneally administered 50 mg/kg of PHZ for two consecutive days. Group A (normal control) did not receive any PHZ, group B (negative control), group C received orally 5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate whereas groups D and E received 200 and 400 mg/kg O. gratissimum leaf extract respectively, for 14 days. RESULTS: Red blood cell count, packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and high-density lipoprotein increased significantly (p<0.05) whereas low-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein decreased in extract-treated groups when compared to the negative control. O. gratissimum (400 mg/kg extract) and standard drug (5 mg/kg ferrous sulphate) significantly (p<0.05) reduced the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that O. gratissimum leaf extract has a restorative effect on the phenylhydrazine-induced metabolic distortions in the blood, liver, and kidney, and therefore could be used therapeutically as an anti-anaemic tonic.

Safety Evaluation of an Aqueous Extract of Termitomyces robustus (Agaricomycetes) in Wistar Rats.

Termitomyces robustus is an edible and highly nutritious wild Basidiomycetes mushroom. It is used in ethnomedicine for treating malnutrition-related diseases, rheumatism, diarrhea, gonorrhea, anemia, and hypertension. Despite the tremendous use of this delicious edible mushroom as a source of nutrients, no comprehensive literature describes its safety and toxicity profiles. Therefore, this study evaluated the toxicity profile of an aqueous T. robustus extract in rats. In the acute toxicity test, male and female rats were orally administered daily a single dose of up to 10 g/kg extract. In the subacute toxicity test, male rats were orally administered the T. robustus extract at graded doses of 500, 1000, and 1500 mg/kg for 14 days. No mortality or any signs of toxicity were observed in the acute toxicity study, indicating that the median lethal dose (LD50) of T. robustus is greater than 10 g/kg. In the subacute toxicity study, T. robustus had no effect (P > 0.05) on hemoglobin, packed cell volume, red blood cell, white blood cell, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, neutrophil, lymphocyte, or lipid profile parameters in any of the rats. However, significant differences (P < 0.05) were noted in alanine aminotransferase, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, platelets, urea, creatinine, and electrolytes in the tested groups when compared to values from the control group. No histopathological alterations or changes were observed in the liver or kidneys of the rats. This study established that an aqueous extract of T. robustus is nontoxic and therefore safe for consumption at the tested doses.

Evaluation of the safety of oral intake of aqueous extract of Stigma maydis (corn silk) in rats.

BACKGROUND: Corn silk (Stigma madyis) is used in ethnomedicine for the management of diabetes, kidney stones, depression, fatigue, urinary infections and as a slimming tea. However, there is limited literature on its effect on body weight, lipid, hematological, hepatocellular, nephrological and histopathological indices which the present study evaluated. METHODS: In the acute toxicity test, aqueous extract of Stigma madyis was orally adminis- tered to rats using a gavage, in doses of up to 5 g/kg body weight. The rats were observed for any behavioral changes, signs of toxicity or mortality. In the sub-acute toxicity, rats were orally administered 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg Stigma madyis extract for 28 days. On the 29th day, the rats were euthanized and the following parameters measured; lipid profile, hematology, serum chemistry and histopathology of the liver and kidney. RESULTS: In the acute toxicity test, Stigma madyis did not cause any mortality and was non-toxic at the dose of up to 5 g/kg body weight. In the sub-acute study,  the extract caused an observable significant increase   (p < 0.05) in triglycerides (TAG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), while the concentration of high density lipoprotein (HDL) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) when compared to the control group. AST and ALT increased significantly (p < 0.05) in rats treated with 1000 and 2000 mg/kg of Stigma maydis compared to their control. The histopathological results revealed degenerative changes in the liver at 2000 mg/kg body weight extract. CONCLUSIONS: In long term treatment, toxic effects were observed in liver at the doses of 1000 and 2000 mg/kg. This study suggests that prolonged use of higher doses of aqueous extract of Stigma maydis ≥ 1000 mg/kg could be hepatotoxic. Therefore, only lower doses should be encouraged for therapeutic use.