Efficacy and toxicity of thirteen plant leaf acetone extracts used in ethnoveterinary medicine in South Africa on egg hatching and larval development of Haemonchus contortus.
(10/17)
Methanolic effect of Clerodendrum myricoides root extract on blood, liver and kidney tissues of mice.
(11/17)
The present study deals with the toxicological investigations of chronic treatment with methanol root extract of Clerodendrum myricoides on body weight, hematological and biochemical parameters, and liver and kidney tissue sections. Mice treated with 100mg/kg bw/day of methanol extract showed no behavioral changes. However, there was a general reduction of activity in mice treated with 400mg/kg bw/day methanol extract and LD50 treated mice showed hypoactivity, grooming, prostration, piloroerection and irritation during administration towards the last days of the treatment period. The body weight gain difference in the 100mg/kg bw/day methanol extract treated group was not significant, while those of the others were significant as compared with the controls. Hematological results for the RBC count, HCT, MCV, MCH and MCHC in methanol extract treated mice showed no significant changes at both doses of treatments as compared with the controls. However, the value of lymphocytes was found significantly increased at 100 and 400mg/kg bw/day methanol extract. Similarly, HGB was significantly increased at 100 and 400mg/kg bw/day of methanol extract treated groups. On the other hand, WBC and platelets count were significantly decreased after treatment with 400mg/kg bw/day methanol extract. ALT, ALP, AST and urea values were significantly increased respectively at 100mg/kg bw/day and 400mg/kg bw/day methanol extract. Several histopathological changes of liver and kidney were observed in the extract treated mice as compared to the controls. Such histopathological changes observed in both liver and kidneys were inflammations and hydropic degenerations of hepatocytes at both doses of methanol. In addition, in the LD50 treated mice of the extracts there were also hemorrhages and signs in congestion of glomeruli of the kidney. CONCLUSION: chronic treatment with Clerodendrum myricoides extracts in mice causes reduction in body weight gain, damage to liver & kidney and changes in some hematological & biochemical parameters. It is therefore, suggested that further studies are needed for minimization of the observed side effects, while maintaining the claimed medicinal values of the extract. (+info)
Immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharides isolated from Clerodendrum splendens: beneficial effects in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
(12/17)
Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted extraction and radical-scavenging capacity of phenols and flavonoids from Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum Turcz leaves.
(13/17)
Evaluation of traditional medicines I: identification of PHELA using different chromatographic techniques.
(14/17)
PHELA is a herbal mixture of four African traditional medicinal plants that has been used for decades in wasting conditions and is now being developed by the Medical Research Council (MRC) as an immune booster for patients with compromised immune system. A chromatographic fingerprint of PHELA was needed for quality control purposes. Here, a comprehensive method for fingerprinting of PHELA using different chromatographic techniques is described. It involved extraction of the PHELA by either acidic or a simple 'salting-out' method, followed by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) analysis and/or preparative Column Chromatography (CC). The products were thereafter analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with UV-detector (HPLC-UV), HPLC with fluorescence-detector (HPLC-FL) and Gas-Chromatography with a Mass Selective Detector spectrometer (GC-MSD). The fingerprints were successfully used to differentiate PHELA from another common herbal product made from Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort), thereby illustrating its high potential for use in fingerprinting of PHELA and in differentiating it from other herbal medicines. By validating the different chromatographic techniques on the standardized extraction methods, this approach will enable wide application in quality control of PHELA using acceptable procedures, thereby promoting effective monitoring of the finished product in all countries where it will be used. (+info)
Evaluation of traditional medicines III: the mechanism of immune modulation by PHELA.
(15/17)
PHELA is a herbal traditional medicine that is under development for use as an immune booster in immune compromised individuals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine PHELA's mechanism of action by observing for changes in cytokine profiles. Four groups of Sprague Dawley rats (n = 8) were treated daily and separately with normal-saline, cyclosporine-A, PHELA-only and PHELA+ cyclosporine-A. Thereafter, 4 animals from each group were sacrificed after 7 and 14 days of treatment. Serum Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) were measured by ELISA. The concentrations of Th1 cytokines in the PHELA-only treated group were similar to the control group on days 7 and 14. However, the Th1 cytokines were higher in the PHELA+cyclosporine-A treated group compared to cyclosporine-A group, and cyclosporine-A concentrations were similar in both groups. These results show that PHELA did not stimulate Th1 cytokines of a normal immune system but stimulated them when the immune system was suppressed by cyclosporine-A. In conclusion, PHELA is an immune-stimulant to a compromised immune system. (+info)
Evaluation of traditional medicines II: the use of metabolite peak-kinetics to monitor PHELA in rat plasma.
(16/17)
PHELA is a herbal mixture of four African traditional medicinal plants that is under development by the Medical Research Council (MRC) for use as an immune stimulant in immune compromised individuals. Before major in vivo investigations could be conducted, there was a need to establish a plasma marker for concentration monitoring of PHELA. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a C18 RP column (250 mm x 4.6 mm x 5 microm), 70% acetonitrile in water and fluorescent detection. Three groups of rats (n=5) were administered with PHELA (15.4 mg/kg) and one rat from each group was sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours. Surprisingly, on the HPLC analysis, none of the marker peaks of spiked plasma were detectable in the plasma of treated animals. Instead, a new peak was observed at 9.2 minutes, which implied that it was a metabolite of PHELA. Using peak area per unit plasma volume (PK-area/L), the relevant pharmacokinetic parameters were derived. The metabolite's half-life was 3.47+/-0.35 hours and reached maximum concentration at 4.67 +/- 1.15 hrs. It was estimated that with once daily dosing of PHELA, the concentration at steady state (Css) would be 47.52 +/- 5.94 PK-area/L with no drug accumulation (Acc index =.009 +/- 0.004). In conclusion, the use of peak area per unit volume to derive pharmacokinetics of unknown compounds (Peak-kinetics) and to confirm ingestion of PHELA were demonstrated with a hope that they may appeal to those experiencing similar problems with monitoring of herbal products of which little is known. (+info)