The ethanolic extract of Salvia lachnostachys Benth is not maternotoxic, does not alter reproductive performance, but has teratogenic potential.

Salvia lachnostachys Benth is native to Brazil and has anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, cytotoxic, antitumor, and antihyperalgesic activities. The population, including pregnant women, consume this plant to treat pain, inflammation, flu, spasms, insomnia, and depression, mainly. There are no safety reports on the use of this plant during pregnancy. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of S. lachnostachys ethanolic extract (EESl) on reproductive performance, embryofetal development, and DNA integrity of pregnant female mice. Pregnant females were randomly divided into three experimental groups (n = 10): The Control group was treated with a vehicle, and treatment groups were administered with EESl at 100 and 1000 mg/kg, respectively. Treatment occurred by gavage throughout the gestational period until day 18. Afterward, reproductive performance, embryofetal development, and DNA integrity parameters were evaluated. The results indicated that EESl did not alter any reproductive performance parameters. However, it changed embryofetal outcome through reduced placental weight (EESl 100 mg/kg), decreased fetal weight (EESl 100 and 1000 mg/kg), and increased frequency of small for gestational age fetuses (EESl 1000 mg/kg). In addition, EES1 increased the frequency of external, visceral, and skeletal malformations. Because of the above, it is considered that EESl is not maternotoxic, does not alter reproductive performance, but does alter embryofetal development. Its use in the gestational period is not indicated due to its teratogenic potential.

Indirect Methods to Determine the Risk of Damage to the Health of Firefighters and Children Due to Exposure to Smoke Emission from Burning Wood/Coal in a Controlled Environment.

People are constantly exposed to particulate matter and chemicals released during fires. However, there are still few studies on gas and particulate emissions related to exposure to burning firewood and charcoal during forest fires, making it difficult to understand the effects on the health of the population. The objective of this study was to quantify the metal(loid)s present in the smoke from wood and charcoal fires through the deposition of metals in beef topside and pork loin, considering the routes of skin exposure, inhalation, and ingestion, contributing to the understanding of metals in the increase of the risks of cancer and mortality associated with firefighting and children. The concentrations of metals [aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn)] and metalloids arsenic (As) were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP OES) after microwave digestion. Moreover, we assessed the associated risk regarding the elemental intake of these elements through the smoke, using the hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), Total Hazard Index (HIt), and carcinogenic risk (CR). All samples had results for HQ and HIt < 1, indicating a non-potential health risk. However, the carcinogenic risks posed by As and Cr via the three exposure pathways (except for inhalation exposure to children and adults, and by Cr via ingestion and inhalation for children and adults) exceeded the standard threshold. In conclusion, continuous exposure of firefighters or children to smoke from fires containing high concentrations of heavy metals such as As and Cr can be harmful to health. The study used animal tissues; thus, new methods must be developed to quantify the concentration of heavy metals deposited in human tissue when humans are exposed to smoke from fires.

The Ethanolic Extract of Gomphrena celosioides Mart. Does Not Alter Reproductive Performance or Embryo-Fetal Development, nor Does It Cause Chromosomal Damage.

Gomphrena celosioides is a native Brazilian plant found in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. It is used in folk medicine to treat kidney diseases, skin diseases, infections, rheumatism, gastrointestinal diseases, and respiratory diseases. It is also used as an abortifacient. To evaluate the effects of the ethanolic extract of Gomphrena celosioides (EEGc) on reproductive performance, embryo development, and chromosome stability, Swiss mice were randomly divided into experimental groups (n = 10). The animals in the control group received the vehicle Tween 80-1% in the proportion of 0.1 mL/10 g of body weight orally, from the first to the 18th gestational day. The animals in the treatment groups received the EEGc (100, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg) from the first to the 18th gestational day. The animals underwent evaluations of their reproductive performance and embryofetal development. The results showed that the EEGc did not change the animals' final weight, weight gain, uterine weight, or net weight gain. The evaluation showed that the absolute and relative organs' weights did not vary between the different experimental groups. In addition, the EEGc did not change the numbers of implants, live fetuses, dead fetuses, or fetal resorptions. There were no differences in post-operative loss rates, implantations, or resorptions, nor were there differences in fetal viability or sex ratio. The use of the EEGc did not result in different frequencies of malformations. In addition, the EEGc did not alter the frequency of chromosomal damage or frequency of micronuclei. Based on our findings, we considered the extract of Gomphrena celosioides to be safe for use during pregnancy, although some parameters indicated caution in its use.

Antidiabetic activity of aqueous root extract of Merremia tridentata (L.) Hall. f. in streptozotocin-induced-diabetic rats

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the antidiabetic effect of aqueous extract of Merremia tridentata (M. tridentata) root (MTRAE) in normal, glucose-loaded hyperglycemic and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.@*METHODS@#Oral administration of MTRAE at the doses of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg was studied in normal, glucose-loaded and STZ-diabetic rats. The three doses caused significant reduction in blood glucose levels in all the models.@*RESULTS@#The effect was more pronounced in 100 and 150 mg/kg than 50 mg/kg. MTRAE also showed significant increase in serum insulin, body weight and glycogen content in liver and skeletal muscle of STZ-induced diabetic rats while there was significant reduction in the levels of serum triglyceride and total cholesterol. MTRAE also showed significant antilipidperoxidative effect in the pancreas of STZ-induced diabetic rats. The antidiabetic effect of M. tridentata was compared with glibenclamide, a well known hypoglycemic drug.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The results indicate that aqueous extract of M. tridentata root possesses significant antidiabetic activity.

Antioxidant and antipyretic studies on Pothos scandens L

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate Pothos scandens for the in vitro antioxidant and antipyretic activity.@*METHODS@#Preliminary phytochemicals, total phenolics and flavonoid contents were analyzed in leaf, stem and root samples. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by different assays such as 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, 2, 2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS•+) radical scavenging, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, phosphomolybdenum reduction assay, metal chelating activity, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide scavenging assay. The antipyretic activity of root methanol extract was studied by pyrexia induced by brewer's yeast on Wistar albino rats at concentration of 200 and 400 mg/kg using paracetamol as standard drug.@*RESULTS@#The total phenolics and tannin content were found to be higher in ethanol extract of stem, whereas total flavonoid content was higher in acetone extract of root. The methanol extract of root showed highest free radical scavenging activity in assays namely ABTS assay (8 221.5 μM TE/g extract), FRAP assay [514.4 mM Fe (II)/g extract], hydrogen peroxide (60.3%) and nitric oxide scavenging assays (58.7%). The DPPH assay and superoxide radical assay results revealed that the ethanol extract of root has remarkable free radical scavenging capacity (IC50 0.284 mg/mL and 70.84%). The antipyretic studies on methanol extract of root showed significant reduction of temperature in pyrexia induced rats at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These findings justify that Pothos scandens can be a valuable natural antioxidant and antipyretic source which seemed to provide potential nutraceuticals for human health.