The Ethanolic Extract of Gomphrena celosioides Mart. Does Not Alter Reproductive Performance or Embryo-Fetal Development, nor Does It Cause Chromosomal Damage.

Gomphrena celosioides is a native Brazilian plant found in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. It is used in folk medicine to treat kidney diseases, skin diseases, infections, rheumatism, gastrointestinal diseases, and respiratory diseases. It is also used as an abortifacient. To evaluate the effects of the ethanolic extract of Gomphrena celosioides (EEGc) on reproductive performance, embryo development, and chromosome stability, Swiss mice were randomly divided into experimental groups (n = 10). The animals in the control group received the vehicle Tween 80-1% in the proportion of 0.1 mL/10 g of body weight orally, from the first to the 18th gestational day. The animals in the treatment groups received the EEGc (100, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg) from the first to the 18th gestational day. The animals underwent evaluations of their reproductive performance and embryofetal development. The results showed that the EEGc did not change the animals' final weight, weight gain, uterine weight, or net weight gain. The evaluation showed that the absolute and relative organs' weights did not vary between the different experimental groups. In addition, the EEGc did not change the numbers of implants, live fetuses, dead fetuses, or fetal resorptions. There were no differences in post-operative loss rates, implantations, or resorptions, nor were there differences in fetal viability or sex ratio. The use of the EEGc did not result in different frequencies of malformations. In addition, the EEGc did not alter the frequency of chromosomal damage or frequency of micronuclei. Based on our findings, we considered the extract of Gomphrena celosioides to be safe for use during pregnancy, although some parameters indicated caution in its use.

Preclinical safety evaluation of the ethanolic extract from the aerial parts of Gomphrena celosioides Mart. in rodents.

The toxicological potential of the ethanolic extract from Gomphrena celosioides (EEGC), a medicinal plant used as a natural analgesic, was investigated in acute and subacute toxicity models in rodents. For the acute toxicity test, 2000 mg/kg of EEGC was administered orally to male and female Wistar rats, while Swiss mice received 75, 150 or 300 mg/kg of EEGC for the subacute toxicity test. Animals treated with an only dose of 2000 mg/kg EEGC showed no clinical signs of toxicity, indicating that the LD50 is higher than this dose. The repeated treatment with EEGC did not cause adverse clinical signs, or lesions in target tissues. According to the Globally Harmonized System of classification, the EEGC dosages can be in Category 5 which is the least toxic or non-toxic one.

Mechanisms underlying the diuretic effect of Gomphrena celosioides Mart. (Amaranthaceae).

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gomphrena celosioides (Amaranthaceae) is a native medicinal plant found in Mato Grosso do Sul State that is used for treating urinary tract and kidney stones. This study aimed to evaluate the diuretic effects of ethanolic extract from G. celosioides (EEGC) on acute and extended diuresis to provide a pharmacological basis for its use in traditional medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the diuretic and natriuretic activity of EEGC and its mechanism of action in an animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: EEGC (30, 100 and 300mg/kg) was orally administered in male Wistar rats, and urinary excretion was measured at intervals of up to 8h after administration. To evaluate participation of the nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin and bradykinin pathways in its effect, respective inhibitors were also administered together with effectives doses of EEGC and compared with control groups. A 7-day model with daily administration and urine measurement was also carried out. RESULTS: Oral administration of doses of 100 and 300 significantly increased urine output after 8h compared to the control group. It was observed this effect is dependent on the NO, prostaglandin and bradykinin pathways because their inhibitors reduced the diuretic effects of EEGC. Moreover, after 7 days of treatment, the effect was sustained and a decrease in serum aldosterone was observed in the extract group. CONCLUSION: According to the results, G. celosioides extract showed diuretic and natriuretic effects associated with more than one mechanism of action. Considering that all diuretic drugs are currently available for the treatment of volume and electrolyte disturbances, especially hypertensive status, the present results may have clinical relevance and open new possibilities for the development of new natural diuretics from G. celosioides.

Isolation of aurantiamides from gomphrena celosioides C. Mart.

In West Africa and Nigeria in particular, many virgin plants are still waiting to be evaluated for their medicinal importance. Claims of plants with folk medicinal applications need to be evaluated and verified. Gomphrena celosioides (family - Amaranthaceae) is a weed grown in lawns and the biological activity of the extract had earlier been established. In the present study, the plant was collected, air dried, ground and soxhlet extracted with n-hexane and two compounds were isolated from the flakes that were recovered from the n-hexane extract on cooling. Column chromatography using 5% chloroform in n-hexane effected the separation. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis using IR, NMR ((1)H and (13)C) and EI-MS. The compounds were found to be aurantiamide and aurantiamide acetate. This is the first report of isolation of these compounds in Gomphrena celosioides.

Isolation of 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) methylpropenoate and bioactivity evaluation of Gomphrena celosioides extracts.

The efficacy of Gomphrenacelosioides extracts in traditional medicine in the treatment of infectious diseases was evaluated by biological assays. The bioactivities of the extracts of this plant were tested against organisms. The ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of the plant displayed inhibition activities on Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi. Methanol extract was active against Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Trichophyton species with diameter zones of inhibition between 14 and 20 mm. Fractionation of the methanol extract produced 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) methylpropenoate with mild antimicrobial activity against the test microorganisms. The anthelmintic assay showed ethyl acetate and methanol extracts to be active against Fasciola gigantica,Taenia solium and Pheretimapasthuma. Ethyl acetate was the most toxic of the extracts causing paralysis of Taenia solium within 15 minutes and the death of Fasciola gigantica within 20 minutes of application. The brine shrimp assay gave an LC50 of 52.15 and 77.98 µg/ml on hexane and methanol extracts respectively. The result of this work corroborated the folkloric use of Gomphrenacelosioides in the treatment of infectious diseases.