Mycotoxins in spices and herbs-An update.

Spices and herbs have been used since ancient times as flavor and aroma enhancers, colorants, preservatives, and traditional medicines. There are more than 30 spices and herbs of global economic and culinary importance. Among the spices, black pepper, capsicums, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, saffron, coriander, cloves, dill, mint, thyme, sesame seed, mustard seed, and curry powder are the most popular spices worldwide. In addition to their culinary uses, a number of functional properties of aromatic herbs and spices are also well described in the scientific literature. However, spices and herbs cultivated mainly in tropic and subtropic areas can be exposed to contamination with toxigenic fungi and subsequently mycotoxins. This review provides an overview on the mycotoxin risk in widely consumed spices and aromatic herbs.

Is folklore use of Euphorbia helioscopia devoid of toxic effects?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate acute toxic effects of Euphorbia helioscopia in order to assure the safety and usefulness of herbal remedy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for chemical testing guidelines No. 425 for acute oral toxicity testing were followed in this study. Mice were divided into three groups (n = 5). Group I served as control. Groups II and III were administered methanol extract of E. helioscopia leaves and latex orally at dose of 2000 mg/kg, respectively. Then, all the animals were observed for two weeks. Blood sampling was done by cardiac puncture after 14 days from each group for biochemical analysis. Histopathology was performed to find out any microscopic lesion in vital organs. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: LD50 was found greater than 2000 mg/kg. There was decrease in cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and VLDL levels of latex and leaves with methanol extract-treated animals, with respect to control indicating plant's hypolipidemic effect. On macroscopic examination, no lesions were found on vital organs, such as liver, heart and kidney; and normal architecture was observed on microscopic examination. CONCLUSION: On the basis of results, it was concluded that methanol extract of E. helioscopia leaves and latex were devoid of toxic effects in acute toxicity study.

Investigation into the biological properties, secondary metabolites composition, and toxicity of aerial and root parts of Capparis spinosa L.: An important medicinal food plant.

Capparis spinose L. also known as Caper is of great significance as a traditional medicinal food plant. The present work was targeted on the determination of chemical composition, pharmacological properties, and in-vitro toxicity of methanol and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of different parts of C. spinosa. Chemical composition was established by determining total bioactive contents and via UHPLC-MS secondary metabolites profiling. For determination of biological activities, antioxidant capacity was determined through DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, phosphomolybdenum, and metal chelating assays while enzyme inhibition against cholinesterase, tyrosinase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase were also tested. All the extracts were also tested for toxicity against two breast cell lines. The methanolic extracts were found to contain highest total phenolic and flavonoids which is correlated with their significant radical scavenging, cholinesterase, tyrosinase and glucosidase inhibition potential. Whereas DCM extracts showed significant activity for reducing power, phosphomolybdenum, metal chelation, tyrosinase, and α-amylase inhibition activities. The secondary metabolites profiling of both methanolic extracts exposed the presence of 21 different secondary metabolites belonging to glucosinolate, alkaloid, flavonoid, phenol, triterpene, and alkaloid derivatives. The present results tend to validate folklore uses of C. spinose and indicate this plant to be used as a potent source of designing novel bioactive compounds.

Metabolomics assisted fingerprint of Hypericum perforatum chemotypes and assessment of their cytotoxic activity.

Hypericum perforatum is known as an important medicinal plant, used for the treatment of several diseases, while its pharmacological properties are attributed to the presence of a wide range of secondary metabolites. Due to the great chemotypic variability of Hypericum species in the nature, and the demand for standardized herbal products, a detailed phytochemical investigation was carried out on different parts (herba, leaf, flowers) from wild collected and cultivated populations, using advanced chromatographic tools. Liquid Chromatographic analysis (LC-MS/MS MRM) revealed significant variability in the secondary metabolites content of the examined methanolic extracts. The most common derivatives belong to 9 groups i.e. benzoic acids, phenylpropanoids, coumarins, flavones, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, phloroglucinols and naphtodianthrones. The main polyphenolic compounds were catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside, quercetin 3-O-glucoside, neochlorogenic acid, proanthocyanidins (A and B series) and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. In addition, the content of the characteristic compounds hypericin and hyperforin in herba crude extracts ranged between 0.5 and 1.7 mg/g and 0.6-3.3 mg/g respectively. The cytotoxic activity of the crude extracts was assessed at concentrations ranged between 0.01 and 100 µg/mL, on Caco-2 intestinal cancer cell cultures, and a cytotoxic behavior was shown only at the highest concentration of 100 µg/mL.

Acute toxicity and diuretic studies of Rungia repens aerial parts in rats.

Ethanolic extract of Rungia repens aerials parts (300 and 600 mg/kg p.o) showed diuretic activity in rats. The acute toxicity, orally evaluated in mice, was found to be higher than 3000 mg/kg.

Antiinflammatory activity of Sambucus ebulus hexane extracts.

Hexane extracts of aerial parts (flowered browes), leaves and roots of Sambucus ebulus were investigated for their antiinflammatory activity in rats. Aerial parts and roots extracts produced statistically significant and dose dependent inhibition of edema induced by carrageenan at all doses when compared to the control groups. On the contrary, hexane extract of leaves did not show any activity up to 600 mg/kg i.p. The highest activity was showed in the aerial parts and roots that at 600 mg/kg i.p. inhibited inflammation by ca. 80% (78% for diclofenac at 100 mg /kg i.p.). No extracts exhibit toxicity when injected up to 2 g/ kg intraperitoneally in mice.

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.

A swainsonine survey of North American Astragalus and Oxytropis taxa implicated as locoweeds.

Swainsonine, an indolizidine alkaloid with significant physiological activity, is an α-mannosidase and mannosidase II inhibitor that causes lysosomal storage disease and alters glycoprotein processing. Swainsonine is found in a number of plant species worldwide, and causes severe toxicosis in livestock grazing these plants, leading to a chronic wasting disease characterized by weight loss, depression, altered behavior, decreased libido, infertility, and death. Swainsonine has been detected in 19 Astragalus and 2 Oxytropis species in North America by thin layer chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and a jack bean α-mannosidase inhibition assay. In addition, 5 species in North America are presumed to contain swainsonine based upon reports from field cases. Many of these plant species have not been analyzed for swainsonine using modern instrumentation such as gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. To provide clarification, 22 Astragalus species representing 93 taxa and 4 Oxytropis species representing 18 taxa were screened for swainsonine using both liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Swainsonine was detected in 48 Astragalus taxa representing 13 species and 5 Oxytropis taxa representing 4 species. Forty of the fifty-three swainsonine-positive taxa had not been determined to contain swainsonine previously using liquid or gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The list of swainsonine-containing taxa reported here will serve as a reference for risk assessment and diagnostic purposes.

In vitro and in vivo assessment of the genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity of the Filipendula hexapetala and Filipendula ulmaria methanol extracts.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The two species of Filipendula genus, Filipendula hexapetala Gilib. and Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim are a traditional herbal medicine widely used to treat haemorrhoids, diarrhoea, fever, rheumatism and arthritic pain, kidney problems, to stop bleeding, and the common cold, as well as food supplements. However, no scientific study has been performed to validate genotoxic and/or antigenotoxic potentials of these two Filipendula species. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the present study was to examine the genotoxic and possible in vitro and in vivo DNA protection potential of methanol extracts of F. hexapetala and F. ulmaria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The genotoxicity of different concentrations of F. hexapetala and F. ulmaria methanol extracts from roots and aerial parts (20, 40 and 80 mg/ml), mixed with standard food for Drosophila, was evaluated in vivo in the anterior midgut of Drosophila melanogaster using a modified alkaline comet assay. The protective effects of the highest dose of extracts were observed in somatic cells of third-instar larvae against ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS)-induced genotoxicity. Also, DNA protection activity of methanol extracts from F. hexapetala and F. ulmaria (100, 200, and 400 µg/ml) against hydroxyl radical-induced DNA damage was determined under in vitro conditions. RESULTS: The results showed that methanol extracts from the root and aerial part of F. hexapetala at a concentration of 20mg/ml indicated the absence of genotoxicity. Also, there were no statistically significant differences in total scores between any of the groups treated with F. ulmaria root extract and the negative control group, while F. ulmaria aerial part extract possess weak genotoxic effects depending on the concentrations. The percentage reduction in DNA damage was more evident in the group of larvae simultaneously treated with EMS and the highest dose of F. hexapetala root or aerial part extracts and F. ulmaria root extract (91.02, 80.21, and 87.5%, respectively) and less expressive in the group simultaneously treated with F. ulmaria aerial part extract (54.7%). F. hexapetala root and aerial part extracts and F. ulmaria root extract possess strong capabilities to protect DNA from being damaged by hydroxyl radicals. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that F. hexapetala root and aerial part extracts and F. ulmaria root extract demonstrated the absence of genotoxic activity. The extracts appeared to have antigenotoxic effect, reducing the levels of DNA damage induced by EMS by more than 80%. Also, F. hexapetala root and aerial part extracts and F. ulmaria root extracts could effectively protect against hydroxyl radical-induced DNA damage.

The relative toxicity of Delphinium stachydeum in mice and cattle.

Larkspurs (Delphinium spp.) are poisonous plants on rangelands throughout the Western United States and Canada. Larkspur-induced poisoning in cattle is due to norditerpene alkaloids that are represented by two main structural groups of norditerpene alkaloids, the N-(methylsuccinimido) anthranoyllycoctonine type (MSAL-type) and the non-MSAL type. Information on the alkaloid composition and resulting toxicity in mice and cattle is lacking for a number of Delphinium species, including Delphinium stachydeum. The objective of this study was to determine the alkaloid composition of D. stachydeum and to characterize its relative toxicity in mice and cattle compared to two reference species Delphinium barbeyi and Delphinium occidentale. D. stachydeum contains the non-MSAL-type alkaloids but not the MSAL-type alkaloids. D. stachydeum was less toxic than D. barbeyi and D. occidentale in the mouse model. D. stachydeum was less toxic than the MSAL-containing D. barbeyi but much more toxic than the non-MSAL-containing D. occidentale in cattle as measured by heart rate and time of exercise. These results indicate that predictions of Delphinium toxicity can't be accurately made based solely on results from the mouse model or the absence of the MSAL-type alkaloids in the plant.

Chronic toxicity study of Portulaca grandiflora Hook.

We investigated the toxic effects of Portulaca grandiflora aqueous extract given to male and female Wistar rats for 6 months. The rats were divided into five groups of each sex that were control groups, three experimental groups and recovery groups. The control groups received 5 ml of distilled water/kg per day. The experimental groups were orally given the water extract of Portulaca grandiflora at doses of 10, 100 and 1000 mg/kg per day. The recovery groups received 1000 mg/kg per day for 6 months and were continued husbandry without giving the extract for further 14 days. Changes in the body weights, actual and relative organ weights were not significantly demonstrated in all groups throughout the study. No significant alteration in hematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters was observed in all female groups given the extract. It was found that any significant changes in hematological and biochemical parameters in the male rats at the doses of 100 and 1000 mg/kg per day were not dose-related. In addition, no histopathological lesions were observed in the male animals. Our results suggested that the water extract of Portulaca grandiflora at the doses given in the study did not induce any detrimental effects in the rats.

3 Beta-(3,4-dihydroxycinnamoyl)-erythrodiol, a cytotoxic constituent of Zygophyllum geslini collected in the Algerian Sahara.

3beta-(3,4-Dihydroxycinnamoyl)-erythrodiol was isolated as the cytotoxic constituent of the roots of Zygophyllum geslini.

Phytochemical constituents of Cirsium setidens Nakai and their cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines.

Five terpenes (1-5), three fatty acids (6-8), two sterols (9 and 11), and a monogalactosyldiacyl glycerol (10) were isolated from the methylene chloride extract of the aerial part of Cirsium setidens. Their chemical structures were determined to be alpha-tocopherol (1), 25-hydroperoxycycloart-23-en-3beta-ol (2), 24-hydroperoxycycloart-25-en-3beta-ol (3), mokko lactone (4), transphytol (5), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid (6), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (7), hexadecanoic acid (8), acylglycosyl beta-sitosterol (9), (2R)-1,2-O-(9z,12z,15z-dioctadecatrienoyl)-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl glycerol (10) and beta-sitosterol glucoside (11) by spectral evidences. Compound 3 exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against five human cancer cell lines with its ED50 values ranging from 2.66 to 11.25 microM.

Brine shrimp lethality of the compounds from Phryma leptostachya L.

Brine shrimp assay-guided fractionation and isolation of the EtOAc soluble fraction of Phryma leptostachya L. (Phrymacaceae) gave two active compounds, phrymarolin II (1) and ursolic acid (2), which were identified by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. Compound 1 exhibited potent lethality with LD50 value of 0.0013 microg/ml, whereas 2 showed moderate lethality with LD50 value of 27.0 microg/ml against brine shrimp. The cytotoxic activities of 1 and 2 were also evaluated against one murine and five human cancer cell lines employing the sulforhodamin B (SRB) method. Compound 2 exhibited cytotoxic activity against L1210 and SK-MEL-2 cells with ED50 values of 3.70 and 9.27 mg/ml, respectively, whereas 1 was devoid of any cytotoxic activity against all cancer cells tested.

A new sesquiterpene hydroperoxide from the aerial parts of Aster oharai.

Phytochemical works on the aerial parts of Aster oharai (Compositae) led to the isolation of a new sesquiterpene hydroperoxide, 7alpha-hydroperoxy-3,11-eudesmadiene (2) and seven known compounds, teucdiol B (1), alpha-spinasterol (3), oleanolic acid (4), alpha-spinasterol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), methyl 3,5-di-O-caffeoyl quinate (6), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (7), 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (8). The chemical structures of 1-8 were established by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Compound 2 showed cytotoxicity against cultured human tumor cell lines in vitro, SK-OV-3 (ovarian), SK-MEL-2 (skin melanoma), and HCT15 (colon) with ED50 values ranging from 3.86-17.21 microg/mL.

Clastogenic effect of Carthamus lanatus L. (Asteraceae).

The clastogenic effect of total dichloromethane, methanol and water extracts, four bioactive fractions and three individual constituents from Carthamus lanatus aerial parts were evaluated in mice by bone marrow chromosome aberration assay with mitomycin C as positive control. Significant differences in the percentage of aberrant mitosis of the extracts were observed. The dichloromethane extract exhibited a considerable clastogenic effect and the water extract a negligible one. Different types of chromosome aberrations and time-dependant effects for the active fractions and individual compounds were found.

In-vivo laxative and toxicological evaluation and in-vitro antitumour effects of Mitracarpus frigidus aerial parts.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the in-vitro antitumour properties, and the in-vivo laxative and toxicological effects of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Mitracarpus frigidus (MFM). METHODS: The in-vitro antitumour activity of MFM was evaluated against three human tumour cell lines: Jurkat, HL60 and MCF-7. The laxative activity and the effect of MFM on intestinal motility were evaluated in rats at the doses of 100, 300 and 1000 mg/kg. Acute oral toxicity was performed at 10, 100, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg and subchronic toxicity was evaluated at 100, 300 and 1000 mg/kg of MFM during a 42-day period. After subchronic administration of MFM the biochemical, haematological and histopathological parameters were analysed. Also, the total content of anthraquinones was determined. KEY FINDINGS: MFM was cytotoxic only against HL60 and Jurkat cells with 89 and 83% growth inhibition, respectively. The laxative activity of MFM was similar to bisacodyl. Regarding the effect on intestinal motility, MFM showed a significant increase in the pathway of charcoal compared with the group treated with saline. Furthermore, MFM showed no in-vivo toxicity at the doses tested. Free and anthraquinone C- and O-glycosides were detected in MFM. CONCLUSIONS: MFM showed significant antitumour activity for leukaemic cells. Moreover, it presented laxative potential and no in-vivo toxicity.