Volume 178, 3 February 2016, Pages 40–49
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance
Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (Xanthorrhoeaceae), Carica papaya L. (Caricaceae) and Mimosa pudica
L. (Fabaceae) are widely used in the Cameroonian ethnoveterinary
medicine as a panacea, and specifically for gastrointestinal disorders
as well as an anthelmintic and antibacterial.
Aim of the study
The present study evaluated the potential toxicity of the hydroalcoholic extracts of Aloe vera leaves, Carica papaya leaves or seeds, and Mimosa pudica leaves after acute and sub-chronic administration in chicks.
Materials and methods
For
the acute toxicity test a single administration of each of the four
hydroalcoholic extracts was given orally at doses ranging from 40 to
5120 mg/kg (n=5/group/sex). In the sub-chronic study, these
extracts were given orally as a single administration to chicks at doses
of 80, 160, 320 and 640 mg/kg/day for 42 days. The anti-angiogenic
properties of these extracts (5–320 µg/mg) were investigated in the
chick chorioallantoic membrane in vivo.
Results
In
the acute toxicity test, none of the four studied hydroalcoholic
extracts induced mortality or significant behavioural changes. The
sub-acute treatment with the four plant extracts did not alter either
the body weight gain or the food and water consumption. However, the
results indicated that Aloe vera leaf extract acute treatment
by oral route at doses up to 2560 mg/kg did not produce death in 50%
(5/10) of chicks during 24 h or 14 days of observation, but 20% (2/10)
chicks died. The haematological and biochemical analyses did not show
significant differences in any of the parameters examined in female or
male groups, with the exception of a transient rise in white blood cell
counts at high doses (640 mg/kg). Additionally, these extracts did not
have the potential for anti-angiogenic effects through the inhibition of
neo-angiogenesis in the chick chorioallantoic membrane in vivo.
Conclusion
The results showed that the therapeutic use of the hydroalcoholic extracts of Aloe vera leaves, Carica papaya leaves or seeds and Mimosa pudica
leaves had very low toxicity in oral acute high dose administration and
no toxicity in oral sub-chronic low dose administration and indicate
that the plants could be considered safe for oral medication in chicks.
Graphical abstract
Abbreviations
- ALT, alanine amino transferase;
- AST, aspartate amino transferase;
- AVLE, Aloe vera leaf extracts;
- DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxyde;
- EDTA, ethylene diamine tetra acetate;
- LD50, medium lethal dose necessary to induce 50% mortality relative to the control value;
- OECD, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development;
- RBC, red blood cell;
- S.E.M, standard error of the means;
- WBC, white blood cell (or leucocyte)
Keywords
- Aloe vera;
- Carica papaya;
- Mimosa pudica;
- Acute toxicity;
- sub-chronic toxicity
Copyright © 2015 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
