Cardiac Toxicity from Intentional Ingestion of Pong-Pong Seeds (Cerbera Odollam).

BACKGROUND: A variety of plants contain cardiac glycosides. This has resulted in many of them being used to commit suicide. In southeast Asia, Cerebera odollam (pong-pong or suicide tree) is frequently used for suicidal ingestion. Seeds, or kernels, of this plant can cause hyperkalemia, heart block, and death due to the effects of its cardiac glycosides. CASE REPORT: We describe six cases of pong-pong seed ingestion reported to US poison centers. The most common symptoms were vomiting and bradycardia. Three patients survived and three died. All patients who died had heart block, serum digoxin levels > 1.0 ng/mL, and were treated with anti-digoxin immune FAB. Anti-digoxin immune FAB may be ineffective in a large pong-pong seed ingestion. Patients ingesting pong-pong seeds who develop a potassium level > 8.0 meq/L or have a digoxin level > 1.0 ng/mL may be at a higher risk for death. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: The apparent ease of acquiring C. odollam seeds on the Internet makes knowledge of it important, as it can be used as a means to commit suicide. The apparent failure of digoxin immune FAB to treat toxicity from pong-pong is important, as other lifesaving techniques, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, might be needed in severely toxic patients.

Neuropharmacological and acute toxicological evaluation of ethanolic extract of Allamanda cathartica L. flowers and plumieride.

Psychiatric diseases affect more than 350 million people all over the world, and medicinal plants have been considered the basis for pharmacological research. The study investigates the anticonvulsant and antidepressant-like activities and acute toxicological effects of ethanolic extract of Allamanda cathartica flowers, and plumieride. The extract was analyzed by HPLC and plumieride was isolated. Toxicity studies were carried out on females Wistar rats (2000 mg/kg). Toxicity was evaluated by measuring biochemical parameters and conducting histopathological analysis. For pharmacological evaluation different doses of the extract (100, 150 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) and plumieride (0.5, 1 and 2 µg/kg, i.p.) were administered before the Forced-Swimming Test (FST), pentylenetetrazole seizure test (PTZT) or Tail-Suspension Test (TST) in mice. Furthermore, hemolytic activity, cytotoxicity and micronucleus test were performed. In addition, mutagenicity and reproductive/developmental toxicity were estimated by TEST-software analysis. Data show that both treatments induce significant antidepressive-like effect in FST and TST, but not anticonvulsant effect. The effect of plumieride last up to 4 h after treatment. No signs of toxicity, mutagenicity, cytotoxicity or hemolytic activity were observed. The TEST-software demonstrated that plumieride present reproductive/developmental toxicity. Together, the data obtained show that the flowers extract and plumieride present antidepressant-like effect and did not present signals of acute toxicity.

Cryptostegia grandiflora Toxicity Manifesting as Hyperkalemia, Complete Heart Block and Thrombocytopenia.

Cardiac glycosides are widely available in botanic products and other naturally occurring substances worldwide. Accidental consumption of it leads to digitalis toxicity with varied systemic manifestations. We describe a case of consumption of extract of leaves of the Indian rubber vine plant (Crytostegia grandiflora) which led to gastrointestinal, cardiac, electrolyte, and hematological disturbances.

Hypoglycemic activity of the Anisopus mannii N. E. Br. methanolic leaf extract in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic mice.

The hypoglycemic activities of nine sub-fractions from the methanolic leaf crude extract of Anisopus mannii were investigated in normoglycemic and alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The methanolic sub-fraction M at 400 mg/kg bw showed significantly (p<0.05) high reduction in fasting blood glucose (FBG) at 27.36 and 65.57% in normoglycemic and diabetic mice, respectively. In acute toxicity test, M at 2,000 and 5,000 mg/kg bw showed reduction in blood urea nitrogen and creatinine level, elevations in aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and total bilirubin levels, as well as the body weights. The weight-ratios of kidney and liver to the body weight of the mice fed with these doses of M were reduced with no sign of histopathological alteration. The M at 250 mg/kg bw significantly reduced the FBG levels in a postprandial study. The hypoglycemic effect of M was eliminated when co-administered with isosorbide dinitrate or nifedipine indicating the induction of insulin secretion via K+ ATP-dependent channels. The UV/HPLC analysis of M indicated saponin at 7.7 mg/g. This study confirmed the traditional use of A. mannii for diabetes mellitus and the potential for the further development as a novel hypoglycemic drug.

Levantamento etnobotânico, químico e farmacológico de espécies de Apocynaceae Juss. ocorrentes no Brasil / Ethnobotanical, chemical and pharmacological survey of Apocynaceae Juss. Species occurring in Brazil

Este trabalho visou realizar um levantamento bibliográfico dos registros etnobotânicos, químicos e farmacológicos de espécies de Apocynaceae ocorrentes em diversas regiões do Brasil. Foi feito um compilamento dos dados organizados em ordem alfabética de espécies, seguidas do nome popular, categoria de uso, parte usada, forma de uso, atividade farmacológica, composição química e distribuição geográfica. Identificou-se 78 espécies distribuídas em 27 gêneros, onde Hancornia speciosa Gomes foi a mais citada. A categoria de uso medicinal foi a mais representativa com 61 indicações e a casca foi à parte mais utilizada das plantas com 29 citações. Poucos estudos farmacológicos e químicos foram realizados, havendo a necessidade de investimento nessas áreas para comprovações dos usos tradicionais.

This study aimed to perform a bibliographic survey of ethnobotanic, chemical and pharmacological Apocynaceae species occurring in several regions of Brazil. Data were compiled and arranged in alphabetical order of species, followed by their popular name, use category, the part used, use method, pharmacological activity, chemical composition and geographic distribution. We identified 78 species in 27 genera, where Hancornia speciosa Gomes was the most mentioned one. The medicinal use category was the most representative one, with 61 indications, and the bark was the most used part of the plant, with 29 references. Few pharmacological and chemical studies were performed, with the need to invest in these areas to evidence traditional uses.

Response of broiler chicks to dietary Rhazya stricta and Nigella sativa.

1. Rhazya stricta leaves and Nigella sativa seeds were fed to 7-d-old Hibro broiler chicks at 20 and 100 g/kg of the diet for 7 weeks. Although 20 and 100 g/kg N. sativa seed diets did not adversely affect growth, a decrease in body weight and feed efficiency and hepatonephropathy were observed in the chicks fed on the 100 g/kg R. stricta diet. 2. These changes, associated with macrocytic hypochromic anaemia, were correlated with alterations in serum aspartate transaminase' (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities and concentrations of total protein, albumin, globulin, cholesterol, calcium and other serum constituents. 3. The effect of 20 g/kg R. stricta diet on chicks was not associated with development of biliary hyperplasia or catarrhal enteritis after 7 weeks of treatment.