Saline extract of Portulaca elatior leaves with photoprotective and antioxidant activities does not show acute oral and dermal toxicity in mice.

The present study aimed to evaluate saline extracts from the leaves (LE) and stem (SE) of Portulaca elatior in relation to their phytochemical composition and photoprotective and antioxidant effects, as well as to evaluate the toxicity of the leaf extract. The extracts were characterized for protein concentration and phenol and flavonoid contents, as well as for thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiles. Total antioxidant capacity and DPPH and ABTS+ scavenging activities were determined. In the photoprotective activity assay, the sun protection factor (SPF) was calculated. The toxicity evaluation of LE included in vitro hemolytic assay and in vivo oral and dermal acute toxicity assays in Swiss mice. LE showed the highest protein, phenol, and flavonoid (8.79 mg/mL, 323.46 mg GAE/g, and 101.96 QE/g, respectively). TLC revealed the presence of flavonoids, reducing sugars, terpenes, and steroids in both extracts. In HPLC profiles, LE contained flavonoids, while SE contained flavonoids and ellagic tannins. The antioxidant activity assays showed the lowest IC50 values ​(34.15-413.3 µg/mL) for LE, which presented relevant SPF (> 6) at 50 and 100 µg/mL. LE demonstrated low hemolytic capacity, and no signs of intoxication were observed in mice treated orally or topically at 1000 mg/kg. However, at 2000 mg/kg, an increase in the mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes and a reduction in lymphocytes were observed; animals treated topically with 2000 mg/kg displayed scratching behavior during the first hour of observation and showed edema and erythema that regressed after six days. In conclusion, LE did not present acute oral or dermal toxicity in Swiss mice at a dose of 1000 mg/kg and showed slight toxicity in animals treated with 2000 mg/kg. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43188-022-00160-2.

Phytochemical profile analysis by LC-ESI-MSn and LC-HR-ESI-MS and validated HPLC method for quantification of rutin in herbal drug and products from leaves of Croton blanchetianus.

Phytochemical analysis of Croton blanchetianus leaves was performed by. After that, a high performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for the determination of rutin in herbal drug and products of C. blanchetianus. The separation was achieved on a C18 column, and the mobile phase was composed of ultrapure water and methanol (acidified with trifluoroacetic acid) with a gradient of 0.8 ml/min. The method was validated following international guidelines. The chemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids. Among them rutin was used as the standard for validation. In the HPLC the presence of rutin was observed at 24.7 min. The method was robust, with no significant variations, and linear in the range evaluated with R2 > 0.99. Regarding the matrix effect, it was possible to prove the absence of interference of the constituents in the herbal drug. The precision was determined with a relative standard deviation of <1.34%. The recovery results were achieved between 89.29 and 101.21%. Furthermore, with partial validation, the method was proved to be suitable for the liquid extract, dry extract and effervescent granules. Therefore, this study demonstrated that the method is effective for the quality control analysis of C. blanchetianus leaves and products.

Evaluation of acute toxicity, 28-day repeated dose toxicity, and genotoxicity of Moringa oleifera leaves infusion and powder.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves infusion and powder are widely used by population due the nutritional and medicinal potentials, however data regarding safety of use are still inconclusive, leading to prohibition of this plant in some countries. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present work investigated the nutritional and phytochemical composition, acute and 28-day repeated dose toxicity, and genotoxicity of M. oleifera leaves infusion and powder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For nutritional characterization of leaf powder, it was determined: humidity; mineral residue (ash); total lipid, protein, carbohydrate, and crude fiber contents; and total caloric value. Phytochemical composition was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The acute toxicity assay used Swiss female albino mice and oral administration in a single dose at 2000 and 5000 mg/kg of infusion or powder. The 28-day repeated dose toxicity assay employed female and male mice, with oral administration of infusion or powder at the doses 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg. The animals were evaluated for body weight, water and feed consumption, biochemical and hematological parameters, and histology of the liver, spleen, and kidneys. In vivo genotoxicity and mutagenicity (2000 mg/kg) were evaluated by the comet assay and the micronucleus test, respectively. RESULTS: Nutritional characterization confirmed that M. oleifera leaves are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, and fiber. HPLC indicated the presence of flavonoids and cinnamic derivatives as major polyphenols. Acute toxicity did not reveal alterations in weight gain and water and feed consumptions and no change in biochemical, hematological, and histological parameters. Behavior alterations was observed in the first 2 h after administration at 5000 mg/kg in both treatments. Infusion did not present toxicity when administered for 28 days. Conversely, the powder at 500 and 1000 mg/kg promoted liver and kidney damages observed through biochemical parameters and histopathology. Genotoxicity and mutagenicity were not detected at 2000 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: The present study reveals that M. oleifera leaves are an important source of polyphenols and nutrients. Indiscriminate use of both infusion and crude leaf powder above 2000 mg/kg and powder at 500 and 1000 mg/kg are not recommended. Chronic toxicological studies and establishment of preparation protocols are suggested aiming to guarantee the safety in the use of M. oleifera leaves as nutraceutical by population.

Acanthospermum hispidum DC: An Updated Review on Phytochemistry and Biological Activities.

BACKGROUND: Acanthospermum hispidum DC is a medicinal plant present in America, Africa, Australia, India, Hawaii, and Brazil. In Brazil, the species is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal, respiratory disorders and has expectorant action. In the literature, there are studies on the chemical composition of the species, with reports of the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, hydrolyzable tannins, terpenes, and steroids. In addition, several studies have reported in vitro and in vivo studies that prove the biological properties of extracts and compounds isolated from different organs of the A. hispidum plant, including hepatoprotectors, antioxidants, antimicrobials and antiparasitic. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to update the knowledge about the phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicity aspects of A. hispidum, and to contribute to the recognition of the species and direct new studies. METHODS: An extensive bibliographic search was conducted in different scientific databases. RESULTS: The presence of different chemical constituents in A. hispidum has been identified, among these constituents are flavonoids, tannins, terpenes, and steroids. Additionally, antimicrobial and antiparasitic activities were mainly attributed to the species, and other activities not previously described were presented, such as anticholinesterase, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and hypoglycemic, all based on results of in vitro and in vivo studies. Finally, no reports of toxic effects were found in the in vitro and in vivo tests. After analyzing the articles, it was evidenced that other experiments with different models using animals are essential to evaluate the possible mechanisms of action of the extracts and compounds isolated of A. hispidum. CONCLUSION: Therefore, this review may contribute to the recognition of the importance of A. hispidum and its potential as a medicinal plant and may also guide the conduct of future research regarding the constituents, biological activities, and toxicity of the species.

Curcuma longa extract protects against 5-fluorouracil-induced oral mucositis in hamsters

Abstract Curcumin, contained at Turmeric (Curcumalonga), can exert many beneficial pleiotropic activities in the gastrointestinal tract. This study evaluated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of C. longa on 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced oral mucositis (OM) in hamsters. Phytochemical analysis of crude C. longa extract (CLE) was performed to detect the presence of curcumin by TLC and HPLC. Golden Syrian hamsters were orally pre-treated with CLE (5, 50, or 100mg/kg). Cheek pouch samples were subjected to macroscopic and histopathological evaluation. ELISA was performed to quantify the inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß and TNF-α. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were assessed by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy analysis. Behavior analysis was conducted by the open field test. Curcumin content in the CLE was 0.55%m/m ± 0.0161 (2.84%). The group treated with 5mg/kg CLE showed healing evidence with macroscopic absence of ulceration (p<0.05) and microscopic aspect of re-epithelialization, discrete inflammatory infiltrate and absence of edema. Treatment with 5mg/kg CLE significantly increased GSH levels, and reduced MDA levels and SOD activity (p˂0.05), and decreased IL-1ß (p˂0.05) and TNF-α (p˂0.01) levels. A significant reduction in walking distance, ambulation, speed, and rearing was observed for motor activity. Curcumin reduced oxidative stress, inflammation, and motor activity in hamsters with 5-FU-induced OM.

Evaluation of Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Enhancement of Antibiotic Action by Punica granatum Leaves Crude Extract and Enriched Fraction against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial potential of crude extract and fractions of Punica granatum leaves. The extract was produced by turbo extraction, after which hexanic, ethyl acetate, and aqueous fractions were obtained by partitioning. The chemical analyses were performed by thin layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, and the antioxidant activities were assayed by DPPH. and ABTS.+ . Minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC/MBC) were applied to twenty-two bacteria. Most strains susceptible to extract/fractions and resistant to antibiotics were selected, and ampicillin, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin were associated with the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) against multidrug-resistant strains in modulatory and checkboard models. The data from chromatographic analyses showed flavonoids and tannins in the extract, as well as the enrichment of EAF in phenols, mainly flavonoids. The flavonoids were connected to the electron transfer activity demonstrated in the DPPH. and ABTS.+ assays. Gram-positive strains are more susceptible to EAF. The subinhibitory concentrations of P. granatum enhanced the antimicrobial activity of the agents and reduced the EAF individual MIC, and the combination of EAF and antibiotics demonstrated a synergistic effect. These results present a promising approach for developing a therapy in which antioxidant extracts and fractions can be used in combination with antibiotics.

Toxicity assessment of saline extract and lectin-rich fraction from Microgramma vacciniifolia rhizome.

Microgramma vacciniifolia is broadly used in folk medicine but safety information is unavailable. Therefore, we evaluated the toxicity of a saline extract and a lectin-rich fraction of M. vacciniifolia rhizome. The extract showed hemolytic activity on mice erythrocytes at 1000 µg/mL, whereas the fraction promoted hemolysis (8.57-26.15%) at all tested concentrations (10-1000 µg/mL). Acute toxicity test in mice indicated an LD50 of >5000 mg/kg. Hematological alterations and increased serum alkaline phosphatase level were observed in the treated animals. Transaminases and urea levels increased in the groups treated with the extract or fraction at 5000 mg/kg. Leukocyte infiltration was observed in the liver of extract-treated animals and in the liver and lungs of mice treated with the fraction. The kidneys of animals treated with the fraction at 5000 mg/kg presented hydropic degeneration. The extract and fraction did not induce oxidative stress in the liver and did not show genotoxicity, as examined by micronucleus and comet assays. In conclusion, the preparations were not lethal to mice but caused some signs of toxicity, mainly the fraction. The results indicated the need to evaluate the toxicity of M. vacciniifolia rhizome in other models and in chronic assays.