The reproductive toxicity of saponins isolated from Cortex Albiziae in female mice / 中国天然药物

Saponin frsom Cortex Albiziae (SCA) are extensively used in the clinical treatment of tumor and depression. However, SCA may cause several adverse effects, including reproductive toxicity. The present study was designed to assess the mechanism by which SCA cause reproductive toxicity in female mice. The general reproductive toxicity testing was accomplished in female Kunming mice. The animals were divided into four groups: three groups that were treated by oral gavage with 135, 270, and 540 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1) of SCA prepared in physiological saline, respectively, and one vehicle control group that was treated with physiological saline only. The gestational toxicity tests were conducted at 540 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1). The general reproductive toxicity results showed that the pregnancy rate of the SCA-treated group decreased with the pregnancy rate being decreased by 70% at 540 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1). SCA elicited maternal toxicity in the ovary and the uterus, but no fetal toxicity or teratogenicity was observed. The rates of implantation in the early, middle, and late pregnancy were all decreased, with stillbirths and maternal deaths being observed. Histopathological changes showed that SCA adversely affected the ovary and the uterus. In conclusion, SCA-induced reproductive toxicity in female mice is most likely caused by its damage to the ovary and the uterus.

Study on preparation process and stability of beta-cyclodextrin inclusion compound in volatile oil of Cinnamomum longepaniculatum leaves / 中国中药杂志

To study the optimum preparation process and stability of beta-cyclodextrin inclusion compound in volatile oil of Cinnamomum longepaniculatum leaves. The saturated aqueous solution method was adopted to prepare inclusion compounds for an orthogonal test. The inclusion compound productivity and the inclusion rate were taken as indexes for screening the inclusion processes. The inclusion effect was evaluated with the infrared spectrophotometry and TLC, and the stability under conditions of high temperature, high humidity and strong light was detected. Under optimum preparation conditions for inclusion, the ratio between volatile oil and beta-cyclodextrin was 1: 8 (mL: g), that between beta-cyclodextrin and water was 1: 15, the inclusion temperature was 40 degrees C, and the inclusion time was 3 h. The results of spectrophotometry and TLC showed that the optimum conditions can generate beta-cyclodextrin inclusion compound in volatile oil of C. longepaniculatum leaves with certain light resistance, thermo-stability and hygro-stability. Therefore the optimum inclusion process features simple operation and stable inclusion compounds.