Effect of Libidibia ferrea bark and seed in maternal reproductive and biochemical outcomes and fetal anomaly in rats.

BACKGROUND: Unhealthy pregnant women living in underdeveloped regions are usually treated by traditional healers, inadvertent of the potential toxic effects of plant-derivative substances. Thus, we investigated whether exposure to a hydroalcoholic extract of bark and seed of Libidibia ferrea during pregnancy results in fetotoxicity and maternal toxicity. The main constituents of both extracts were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). METHODS: Pregnant rats were divided into three groups: control (C), group exposed to extract of bark (Lfb-1.0 g/kg/day), and group exposed to extract of the seed (Lfs-1.0 g/kg/day). Biochemical parameters, reproductive capacity, morphological effects in the offspring were analyzed. RESULTS: HPLC fingerprint confirmed the presence of ellagic in both bark and seed extracts, and the absence of detectable concentrations of gallic and catechin. Fetuses exposed to L. ferrea extracts presented shorter mean lengths for head and body sections when compared to those in C and exhibited visceral and skeletal anomalies. Pregnant rats exposed to Lfs extracts show alterations in serum creatinine levels and yield amniotic fluid with abnormal biochemical composition. CONCLUSION: Bark or seed extracts of L. ferrea do not exhibit safety level compatible to be used in the gestational period.

Antiallergic and antihistaminic actions of Ceasalpinia bonducella seeds: Possible role in treatment of asthma.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Seed kernel of the plant Ceasalpinia bonducella Linn (Caesalpiniacaeae) are used for the treatment of asthma in folk medicine and ancient books. AIM OF STUDY: To assess the pharmacological efficacy of the plant in asthma and to confine and describe the synthetic constituents from the seeds that are in charge of the action. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The viability of petroleum ether, ethanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract of C. bonducella seeds were screened for the treatment of asthma by various methods viz. effect of test drug on clonidine and haloperidol induced catalepsy, milk-induced leukocytosis and eosinophilia, mast cell stabilizing activity in mice and studies on smooth muscle preparation of guinea pig ileum (in-vitro). Column chromatography of active extract was done to pinpoint the active compound followed by structure elucidation by FTIR, GCMS and NMR spectroscopic methods. RESULTS: Ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract of C. bonducella seeds exhibited antihistaminic activity at the dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg, inhibited clonidine-induced catalepsy but not haloperidol-induced catalepsy. Ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract significantly inhibited increased leukocyte and eosinophil count due to milk allergen and showed maximum protection against mast cell degranulation by clonidine. The results of guinea pig ileum indicated that the compound 2 methyl, 1 hexadecanol isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of ethanol extract relaxed significantly the ileum muscle strips pre-contracted by which suggests the involvement of ß2-agonists on the relaxation of the tissue. All the results are dose dependent. Active ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract showed presence of anti-asthmatic compound, 2-methyl, 1-hexadecanol. CONCLUSION: The ethyl acetate fraction from ethanol extract of seeds of the plant C. bonducella can inhibit parameters linked to asthma disease.

Reproductive toxicity of brazilein in ICR mice.

Brazilein is an active small molecular compound extracted from Caesalpinia sappan L. with favorable pharmacological properties on immune system, cardiovascular system, and nervous system. C. sappan has been used as a traditional medicine in China for hundreds of years for various diseases. However, the general reproductive toxicity of brazilein is still unknown. The purpose of the present study was to thoroughly evaluate the general reproductive toxicity of brazilein in ICR mice to support the future drug development and modernization of this potent traditional Chinese medicine. The results showed that, although no apparent toxicity on the reproducibility of the male was observed, brazilein might cause considerable risks to the fetuses and females as indicated by the ratios of dead fetuses and reabsorptions. In conclusion, our results from the present study provided some useful insights about the safety profile of brazilein, suggesting that brazilein should be used with caution in pregnant women.

Congenital malformations and other reproductive losses in goats due to poisoning by Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz (=Caesalpinia pyramidalis Tul.).

In the semiarid region of Brazil, in areas with vegetation composed mainly of Poincianella pyramidalis, several cases of congenital malformation and reproductive losses were observed in goats and sheep from 2012 to 2014. To determine the teratogenic effect of P. pyramidalis, two groups of eight goats each were used. Goats from Group 1 received fresh P. pyramidalis, harvested daily, as the only roughage during the whole breeding and pregnancy period. Goats in Group 2 (control) received Cynodon dactylon (tifton) hay free choice. Ultrasound examination for pregnancy diagnosis was performed every 28 days. Four goats from Group 1 were pregnant on day 28 but not on day 56, suggesting embryonic death or abortion. Another goat from Group 1 died at day 70 of pregnancy, and the fetuses exhibited micrognathia. The other three goats bore six kids, three of which showed bone malformations in the limbs, spine, ribs, sternum, and head, including arthrogryposis, scoliosis and micrognathia. One kid also showed hypoplasia of the left pulmonary lobes. In the control group, all goats bore a total of 13 kids and none of them exhibited malformations. These results demonstrated that P. pyramidalis causes congenital malformations and other reproductive losses in goats.

Toxicity evaluation of sappan wood extract in rats.

BACKGROUND: The heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan L. or sappan wood has long been used in folk medicines to treat tuberculosis, diarrhea, dysentery, skin infections and anemia. OBJECTIVE: To study the acute and subacute toxicities of sappan wood extract in rats. MATERIAL AND METHOD: For studying acute toxicity, a single oral dose of 5000 mg/kg of sappan wood was administered to rats. Subacute toxicity was studied by the daily oral administration of the extract at the doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight for consecutive 30 days. RESULTS: The extract of sappan wood (5000 mg/kg) showed no toxicity in terms of general behavior change, mortality, or change in gross appearance of internal organs. Subacute toxicity study showed no abnormalities in treatment groups as compared to the controls. Body and organ weights, hematological, blood chemical, necropsy, and histopathological parameter of all groups were similar. CONCLUSION: Sappan wood extract did not produce any acute or subacute toxicity in both female and male rats.

Aspectos étnicos, biológicos e químicos de Senna occidentalis (Fabaceae) / Ethnic, biological and chemical aspects of Senna occidentalis (Fabaceae)

Senna occidentalis (sin. Cassia occidentalis) é um arbusto perene nativo da América do Sul e distribuída em regiões tropicais ao redor do mundo, frequentemente contaminando pastos e culturas de cereais. Inúmeros estudos demonstraram que esta planta é tóxica para animais. Na medicina popular, tribos americanas, africanas e indianas usam preparações da S. occidentalis como tônico, estomáquico, febrífugo, laxante e antimicrobiano. Diversas propriedades biológicas da espécie já foram comprovadas, tais como a antibacteriana, antifúngica, antimalárica, antitumoral e hepatoprotetora. As análises fitoquímicas evidenciaram que as antraquinonas, os flavonóides e outros derivados fenólicos são os seus principais constituintes. Esta revisão apresenta dados etnofarmacológicos, químicos e biológicos publicados na literatura sobre S. occidentalis.

Senna occidentalis (syn. Cassia occidentalis) is a perennial shrub, native to South America and indigenous to tropical regions throughout the world, often contaminating pastures and cereal crops. There have been many reports showing that S. occidentalis is toxic to animals. In traditional medicine, some American, African and Indian ethnic groups use S. occidentalis preparations in stomach treatments and as a tonic, febrifuge, laxative and topical antimicrobial agent. Several biological properties of this species have been proved, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, antitumor and hepatoprotective activity. Phytochemical analysis has shown that anthraquinones, flavonols and other phenolics are its major constituents. In this paper we present an overview of the ethnopharmacological, chemical and biological data published in the literature on S. occidentalis.