Genotoxicity detection of five medicinal plants in Nigeria.
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This study was performed to investigate the safety of Alchornea cordifolia, Cnestis ferruginea, Lonchocarpus sericeus, Trema orientalis, and Senna alata in respect to genotoxicity. These five medicinal plants are widely distributed in Africa. They are used as a traditional medicine in many African counties for the treatment of microbial, inflammatory, and stress-related diseases. To evaluate the bacterial reverse mutation of these five medicinal plants, the in vitro Ames test using Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535, and TA1537, and Escherichia coli WP2uvrA, with or without the addition of S9 mixture was performed. Concentrations used for this test were 625, 2,500, and 5,000 microg per plate. A. cordifolia, C. ferruginea, L. sericeus, and T. orientalis showed negative results in the bacterial reverse mutation test, suggesting that it is potentially safe for these plants to be used in medicinal plants supplements at high doses. However, our experiments suggest that S. alata is a potent mutagen. Therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate the carcinogenicity of S. alata in order to adequately assess the risks for human health. (+info)
Hypoglycaemic and biochemical properties of Cnestis ferruginea.
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Increasing incidences of diabetes in Africa has prompted the search for safe and readily available alternative herbal remedies for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Cnestis ferruginea was extracted with methanol and ethylacetate and the extracts obtained were tested for hypoglycaemic activities in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and mice. The extracts (250 mg/kg body weight) were administered orally for 10 consecutive days to STZ-induced diabetic rats while a single dose (250 mg/kg body weight) of the extracts were administered to STZ-induced diabetic mice. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were determined in the two groups of animals after extract administration. There was significant reduction in FBG (P< 0.005) by MCF and ECF within 4 hrs of extract administration in a time- dependent manner. Furthermore, administration of MCF and ECF for 10 days significantly lowered FBG in STZ diabetic rats (P<0.005) by 74% and 68%, respectively, whereas, glibenclamide - a standard antidiabetic drug reduced FBG by 60%. The levels of serum creatinine, urea, triglyceride, total cholesterol, total protein and level of lipid peroxidation were also evaluated. The extracts reduced significantly (P<0.005) the elevated levels of serum ALT and AST in diabetic treated rats. Similarly, both extracts significantly lowered (P<0.005) the levels of serum creatinine, urea, total cholesterol, triglyceride and thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS).These results suggest that Cnestis ferruginea leaves contain a highly potent hypoglycaemic principle and could be a potential source for isolation of new orally active antihyperglycaemic compounds for attenuating secondary complications of diabetes such as atherosclerosis, liver and renal dysfunction. (+info)