ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine lethal median dose (LD50) and histopathological toxicity of water extract of Holothuria atra (H. atra) in mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The behavioral changes, mortality and histopathology examination on liver were assessed in mice 14 d after the administration (i.p.) of H. atra water extract. Seven doses (10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg) of H. atra were used. The control group was treated with normal saline.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the acute study in mice, the water extracts of H. atra caused dose-dependent general behavior adverse affects and mortality. The main behavioral sign of toxicity was hypoactivity, noticed immediately after administration of the extract which was more obvious at the higher doses and persisted until death. Mortality increased with increasing doses, the calculated LD50 was 41 mg/kg in mice. The liver toxicity was confirmed by histopathological examination, which indicated the presence of abnormal hepatocytes with a distorted shape and undefined cell lining as well as enlarged nuclei in low doses groups. High doses groups indicated a more prominent distortion of the polyhedral hepatocytes with undefined cell lining, massive cytoplasm, pyknotic, karyorhexis and karyolytic nuclei (necrosis of hepatocytes). Control group showed polyhedral hepatocytes with defined cell lining arranged in cords and normal round nuclei, with granular cytoplasm.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Because of the relatively low LD50 value in the acute study in mice, it may be concluded that the H. atra water extract is toxic.</p>
ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine lethal median dose (LD
ABSTRACT
Recently there was huge increase in using of 'herbal products'. These can be defined as plants, parts of plants or extracts from plants that are used for curing disease. However, Calophyllum species is a tropical plant and it has been used in traditional medicine, the limitation in safety and effectiveness information could lead to serious health problems. Providing information for communities by evaluating the phytochemical contents, antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities will improve the therapeutic values. Three main Calophyllum canum fractions [none - high polar] were tested to find out the phenolic, flavonoid, flavonol content, DPPH radical scavenging, reducing power and chelating iron ions. Also were tested against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Cryptococcus neoformans. In addition, cytotoxic activity was assayed against lung cancer A549 cell line. The methanol fraction showed no bioactivity but achieved the highest amount of phenolic, flavonol and flavonoid contents, also it showed a significant result as antioxidant, reducing power and chelating agent. The n-hexane fraction achieved the minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] value 12.5 microg. mL[-1] against B. cereus while the MIC value for DCM fraction was 25 microg. mL[-1]. The DCM fraction was more active against S. aureus where the result was 50 microg. mL[-1] while the n-hexane fraction was 100 microg. mL[-1]. The three main fractions have shown no activity against gram negative bacterial and fungal. The n-hexane and DCM fractions have shown cytotoxicity against lung cancer cell line; the 50% inhibition concentration [IC50] was 22 +/- 2.64 and 32 +/- 3.78 microg. mL[-1] respectively. The results were statistically significant [P < 0.05]. Among the results, C. canum fractions proved to be effective against gram positive bacterial and anti-proliferation activity. Also it showed antioxidant activity as well. The results provided beneficial information for communities as well as can help to search for alternative drugs, and will contribute to establish safe and effective use of phytomedicines in the treatment of diseases