Sub-Acute Toxicity Study of Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether on the Antioxidant Defense System of the Testes and Epididymes of Wistar Rats.

Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether is a toxicant with wide industrial applications. This study is aimed atinvestigating its effect on the antioxidant system of the reproductive organs of male rats. Fifty male Wistar rats weredistributed into five groups. Group I received distilled water, Groups II-V received EGME at 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg/kgbody weight respectively. All administrations were done orally for fourteen days and the weight was monitored weekly. Onday fifteen, the animals were sacrificed and reproductive organs were collected and weighed. The testes and epididymeswere processed for the biochemical estimations, histopathology and spermatozoa analysis. The percentage body weightgained weekly and the relative weight of the testes reduced significantly (p < 0.05) in the treatment groups. The spermatozoaanalysis showed decreases in the treatment groups. In the testis and epididymis, various antioxidant parameters such assuperoxide dismutase and glutathione-S-transferase were affected. The histopathology results confirmed the biochemicalfindings. The study suggests that EGME exerts deleterious effects on the testes and epididymes by increasing the oxidativeload in rats.

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ANTIMALARIAL EFFECT OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF PAULLINIA PINNATA LEAVES IN PLASMODIUM BERGHEI INFECTED MICE AND COURSE OF INFECTION.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the antimalarial activity of methanolic leaves extract of Paullinia pinnata on chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium berghei NK 65 infected mice. METHODOLOGY: The curative study was conducted in thirty-six Wistar albino mice of both sexes which were divided into six groups of six animals each. The animals were infected with P. berghei NK 65. Group I was the negative control and received the vehicle (10% DMSO). Group II received no treatment. Groups III and IV were the positive controls and received chloroquine (CQ) (10mg/kg) and artesunate (4 mg/kg)-amodiaquine (10mg/kg) combination (ACT) respectively. Groups V and VI received 100mg/kg and 200mg/kg doses of the extract respectively. Administration was done orally once for three or four days for the standard drugs or the extract/vehicle respectively. The percentage parasitaemia, packed cell volume (PCV), body weight and death was monitored on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 11 (7 day post administration). The study of the course of infection of P. berghei was monitored in eighteen Wistar albino mice of both sexes which were similarly grouped, infected and treated for 3 days. Group A received the vehicle (distilled water) only. Group B was treated with CQ (10 mg/kg) and Group C with ACT. The percentage parasitaemia and death was monitored from day 0 to day 30 (27 day post administration). RESULTS: In the curative study, the extract suppressed parasitaemia at both doses on day 4. The group treated with 200mg/kg dose showed a higher percentage chemosuppression though not significant. The course of infection study revealed that recrudescence occurred on day 8 in the CQ treated group which lasted until day 23 after which the recrudescence was lost without re-treatment. A similar result was observed in the ACT group. CONCLUSION: The methanolic leaves extract of Paullinia pinnata has weak anti-malarial property. Chloroquine-sensitive P. berghei NK65 loses credibility and needs to be revalidated biannually.

Acute and sub-acute toxicity studies of the methanol extract of the leaves of Paullinia pinnata (Linn.) in Wistar albino mice and rats.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the toxicological effects of the leaves of Paullinia pinnata Linn.(PP) in rodents using Wistar albino mice and rats as experimental models. METHODOLOGY: Acute toxicity study of the methanol extract of PP was carried out in Wistar strain albino mice using varying doses of the extract at 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, and 10,000 mg/kg body weight. These doses were administered orally to male Wistar albino mice with the exception of the control group and observed for morbidity and mortality after Day 1, Day 7 and Day 14. Sub-acute toxicity study was conducted in male Wistar albino rats with varying doses of 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight. These doses were administered orally once daily at 24 hour intervals for 28 days and the vehicle (physiological saline and Tween 80 (70:30 v/v)) was administered to the control groups in the experiments. Biochemical analyses were carried out on the plasma while pathological changes in the kidneys, liver and lungs were examined histologically. RESULTS: In the acute toxicity study, the mice did not show any form of morbidity or mortality. For the sub acute toxicity study, plasma levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol and the triglycerides were significantly elevated (p < 0.05) at the 400 mg/kg body weight dosage. Elevated levels of plasma ALP were also observed at 800 mg/kg body weight. The histopathological study showed that the lungs exhibited dose -dependent lymphocytic infiltrations and the pattern of occurrence of lesions observed in the liver was at a frequency of one rat per group at the 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight doses. CONCLUSION: The methanol leaf extract of Paullinia pinnata (Linn.) is well tolerated when orally administered at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight but toxic at higher doses.