Acute and chronic toxicity of a lyophilised aqueous extract of Tanacetum vulgare leaves in rodents

AIM OF THE STUDY: The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the safety of an aqueous extract of tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.) leaves by determining its potential toxicity after acute and chronic administration in rodents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the acute study, a lyophilized aqueous extract of tansy leaves was administered to mice in single doses of 0-13 g/kg given by gavage as well as intraperitoneal doses of 0-4.5 g/kg. General behavior adverse effects and mortality were determined for up to 14 days. In the chronic dose study, the extract was administered orally at doses of 0, 100, 300 and 600 mg/kg daily for 90 days to rats. Biochemical and hematological parameters were determined after 30 and 60 days, and then at the end of 90 days of daily administration. RESULTS: In the acute study in mice, the crude aqueous extract of tansy leaves caused dose-dependent general behavior adverse effects and mortality. The no-observed adverse effect levels (NOAEL) of the tansy extract were 7.0 g/kg and 1.0 g/kg, and the lowest-observed adverse effect levels (LOAEL) were 9.0 g/kg and 1.5 g/kg, when given by the oral and intraperitoneal routes, respectively. Mortality increased with increasing doses, with LD(50) of 9.9 g/kg and 2.8 g/kg for the oral and intraperitonal modes of administration, respectively. In the chronic study in rats, daily oral administration of the crude aqueous extract of tansy leaves for up to 90 days did not result in death or significant changes in the biological (except for hypoglycemia) and hematological parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the relatively high NOAEL values in the acute study in mice, and lack of significant effect on biological and hematological parameters in rats after 90 days of daily doses, the tansy extract does not appear to have significant toxicity. In view of the dose of tansy consumed in traditional medicine, there is a wide margin of safety for the therapeutic use of the aqueous extract of Tanacetum vulgare leaves.     

云南黄芪药用植物物种多样性研究

云南作为黄芪属植物的一个分布中心，具有丰富的药用植物资源，有正品黄芪２个种，代用品５个种和地方习用品１３个种，正品沙苑子１个种，代用品和地方用品各１种，本文从物种多样性方面对该药物植物进行讨论，并对其亚属，组的等级，特别是同且中的药用植物进行了研究，找出了一定规律。还介绍了几个兄弟民族对黄芪属药用植物的利用情况。     

市售千金子饮片质量分析

目的 通过对收集的市售千金子饮片进行含量测定,为制定千金子质量标准提供依据.方法 以脂肪油、浸出物、秦皮乙素和七叶树苷为指标,对市售的6个样品进行含量测定.结果 各地千金子样品脂肪油组分、醚溶性成分差别不大,水溶性成分、醇溶性成分、泰皮乙素和七叶树苷差异较大.结论 各地市售样品在内在质量上存在较大差异.     

露木尔不同工艺产物药理活性比较研究

目的 :比较露木尔不同提取纯化工艺产物的镇咳祛痰和抗炎作用。方法 :采用小鼠氨水引咳法、小鼠酚红呼吸道排泌法和小鼠耳肿胀法。结果 :露木尔工艺一和工艺二产物均有显著的镇咳抗炎作用 ,工艺一 (P<0 .0 1)优于工艺二 (P<0 .0 5 ) ;工艺一产物还有显著的祛痰作用 (P<0 .0 5 ) ;工艺三均无明显作用。结论 :露木尔采用工艺一提取纯化较为理想     

通天草提取物对Aβ_(1-40)所致AD大鼠血清与海马组织中细胞因子含量的影响

目的:观察通天草提取物对Aβ1-40造成的老年性痴呆模型大鼠的血清与海马组织中细胞因子含量的影响,研究通天草提取物在防治老年性痴呆中的应用价值。方法:将大鼠随机分为正常组、假手术组、模型组、水提组、醇提组和中药组。动物于造模后第7天开始给药,连续给药21天后,取血、灌注取脑。结果:通天草提取物组与模型组及空白组比较,IL-1β、IL-6和TNF-α水平显著降低,尤以醇提组作用明显。结论:通天草的水提取物和醇提取物能不同程度地调节AD模型大鼠血液和脑组织免疫炎性细胞因子IL-1β、IL-6和TNF-α水平,减轻Aβ毒性作用所致脑组织神经元损伤,从而起到防治AD的作用。     

HPLC-ELSD-UV法同时测定氨酚那敏三味浸膏胶囊中长梗冬青苷、白花前胡甲素、白花前胡乙素

目的 建立氨酚那敏三味浸膏胶囊中长梗冬青苷、白花前胡甲素和白花前胡乙素的定量分析方法.方法 采用HPLC-ELSD-UV法测定长梗冬青苷、白花前胡甲素和白花前胡乙素,色谱柱为Venusil XBP-C18 (4.6 mm× 250 mm,5 μm),流动相为乙腈-水,梯度洗脱,体积流量为1.0 mL/min,紫外检测波长为320 nm;ELSD参数:漂移管温度为80℃,氮气体积流量为2.5 mL/min,雾化温度为36 ℃,柱温30℃.结果 长梗冬青苷在1.071 6～5.358 μg范围内的线性关系良好(r =0.999 1),平均回收率100.3％,RSD为2.05％(n=9);白花前胡甲素和白花前胡乙素分别在0.892 4～4.462 μg(r =0.999 9)和0.486 8～2.434 μg(r =0.999 7)范围内线性关系良好,平均回收率分别为100.03％、99.02％,RSD为2.01％、1.98％(n=9).结论 本方法测定结果准确可靠,重复性好,可为氨酚那敏三味浸膏胶囊的质量控制提供定量评价方法.     

Challenging the requirement for chronic fish toxicity studies on formulated plant protection products

Ecotoxicity testing of pesticide active ingredients and formulated plant protection products (PPPs) prior to their commercial use is required by authorities around the world. Such studies are important for the conduct of risk assessments to protect wildlife and the environment, but they should only be conducted when their use is scientifically justified. One test of questionable scientific merit is the chronic fish toxicity test when conducted with formulated PPPs, which is a potential requirement under European legislation: chronic exposure to the formulated product per se rarely occurs in the environment and therefore it is generally not possible to use the data from chronic formulation studies in a meaningful risk assessment. A recent survey of European crop protection companies to explore the scientific merits and regulatory drivers for chronic fish toxicity studies has shown that current practice in deciding on the need for chronic fish toxicity testing of formulated PPPs varies substantially between companies. The most commonly cited reason for conducting such studies was solely to meet regulatory requirements. We conclude that chronic formulation testing is rarely if ever scientifically justified, and recommend that the forthcoming revision of the EU Aquatic Toxicology Guidance Document takes account of this by including a requirement that justification must be provided for conducting the test, rather than the current situation where the onus is on the registrant to provide a justification for not conducting the test.     

Cellular factors in plant virus movement: at the leading edge of macromolecular trafficking in plants

To establish systemic infection, plant viruses must be localized to the correct subcellular sites to accomplish replication and then traffic from initially infected cells into neighboring cells and even distant organs. Viruses have evolved various strategies to interact with pre-existing cellular factors to achieve these functions. In this review we discuss plant virus intracellular, intercellular and long-distance movement, focusing on the host cellular factors involved. We emphasize that elucidating viral movement mechanisms will not only shed light on the molecular mechanisms of infection, but will also contribute valuable insights into the regulation of endogenous macromolecular trafficking.     

Cytotoxicity of some Cameroonian spices and selected medicinal plant extracts

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Several medicinal plants and spices are used traditionally to treat cancers in Cameroon.

Aim

Methanol extracts from thirty-four spices and plants, with related ethnobotanical use were investigated for their in vitro cytotoxicity on the human pancreatic cancer cell line MiaPaCa-2, leukemia CCRF-CEM cells and their multidrug resistant (MDR) subline CEM/ADR5000, and the normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In addition the anti-angiogenic properties of the most active extracts were investigated.

Material and methods

The MTS [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium] assay was used for cytotoxic studies and the CAM-assay (chicken-chorioallantoic-membrane-assay) for anti-angiogenesis test.

Results

The results of the cytotoxicity tests indicated that, when tested at 20 μg/ml, extracts from Xylopia aethiopica, Echinops giganteus, Imperata cylindrica, Dorstenia psilirus and Piper capense were able to inhibit more that 50% the proliferation of the three tested cancer cells (MiaPaCa-2, CEM/ADR5000 CCRF-CEM). The lowest IC₅₀ values of 6.86 μg/ml on MiaPaCa-2 and 3.91 μg/ml on CCRF-CEM cells were obtained with X. aethiopica, while the corresponding value of 6.56 μg/ml was obtained with P. capense on CEM/ADR5000 cells. Against leukemia cells, no cross-resistance was observed with I. cylindrica, P. capense and Zinziber officinalis. Extracts from D. psilirus and E. giganteus were able to inhibit angiogenesis by more than 50% in quail embryo.

Conclusion

The overall results of the present study provide supportive data on the use of some Cameroonian plants for cancer treatment.