Журнал фармакогнозии и натуральных продуктов

Anisomeles indica (L.) Kuntze belongs to Lamiaceae, is used against inflammation and gastric dysfunctions. Tilldate there are no reports on toxicological evaluation of A. indica leaf flavonoids. In the present study, in vivo and in vitro toxicity evaluation of A. indica leaf flavonoid fraction was carried out to assess its safety. Acute toxicity results in mice suggest that, LFF is non-toxic, as the treated animals survived beyond 14-day observation period and with no mortality and toxic signs or symptoms. Subacute oral toxicity study was carried out for 28 days in Swiss albino mice both sexes. Data revealed no statistically significant dose-related effects on food consumption, body weight gain, clinical signs in LFF treated animals. Urine analysis, hematological parameters, serum biochemical examination and histopathology revealed no adverse effects even at 1000 mg/kg body weight/day. In vitro chromosome aberration assay in human lymphocytes revealed no clastogenic effect at 24 h and 48 h LFF treatments. Cytotoxicity results against human cancer cell lines KB, HepG2, HT-29 and HEK-293 suggests, LFF is cytotoxic to four human cancer cell lines with IC50 values 36.57, 40.0, 48.6, 68.58 μg/mL respectively. In conclusion A. indica LFF appears to be safe for oral administration in humans, may be used in traditional medicine.

The conventional drugs used to manage fever are usually not affordable, not easily available and have adverse side effects. Alternative therapeutic agents, like medicinal plant derivatives, should therefore be developed because they have been reported to be more affordable, more readily available and have lesser side effects. Terminalia brownii is traditionally used to manage fever but this ethno-medicinal claim lacks scientific validation. The present study therefore evaluated the anti-pyretic activity of T. brownii in Wistar rats. Fresh bark samples of T. brownii were collected from Kitui County, Kenya. This study used 30 adult male Wister rats that were 2-3 months old and weighing 140-180 g was used for the experiments. Steam-distilled turpentine was the pyrogen used to induce pyrexia and Aspirin was used as the reference drug. The extract reduced the elevated rectal temperatures by between 1.15-4.38% while aspirin reduced the elevated rectal temperatures by between 0.00-4.85%. The present study showed a significant dose-dependent anti-pyretic activity of methanolic bark extracts of T. brownii hence validating its folklore use as a fever remedy.

Gastropod mucus has been shown to possess antibacterial and antitumorcidal properties. Melo broderipii and Lambis lambis are two gastropods abundant in the Philippines and claimed to have antibacterial and antioxidant properties but no available data yet on its cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time, the cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of mucus from Melo broderipii and Lambis lambis. For cytotoxic effect determination, microscopic observation for cell arrest, cell bursting and morphological distortion of the developing sea urchin embryo and quantification of affected zygotes were conducted. For genotoxic effect determination, root length measurement and microscopic observation for chromosomal aberration of onion root tip were conducted. Results for cytotoxic effect showed that Melo broderipii mucus (80% v/v) test solution (TS) had 70% cytotoxic activity while Lambis lambis (80% v/v)TS had 65% cytotoxic activity. Cell arrest (40%) was the most prominent parameter for both test solutions. For genotoxic effect, Melo broderipii mucus (100% v/v) elicited root growth of 0.244 cm while Lambis lambis mucus (100% v/v) exhibited root growth of 0.367 cm. Bridges and fragments of chromosomes were observed in 100% TS of Melo broderipii while vargrants and binucleated chromosomes in 100% TS of L. lambis. Alkaloids, terpenes and proteins present in the mucus of Melo broderipii and Lambis lambis account for the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects.

Some insects release scented compounds as a defense against predators that also exhibit antimicrobial activity. Trans-2-octenal and trans-2-decenal are the major alarm aldehydes responsible for the scent of Halyomorpha halys, the brown marmorated stink bug. Previous research has shown these aldehydes are antifungal and produce an antipredatory effect, but have never been tested for antibacterial activity. We hypothesized that these compounds functioned similarly to the analogous multifunctional action of earwig compounds, so we tested whether these aldehydes could inhibit the growth of bacteria. Disk diffusion assays indicated that these aldehydes significantly inhibited the growth of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in vitro. Moreover, mealworm beetles (Tenebrio molitor) coated in stink bug aldehydes showed a substantial reduction in bacterial colonization compared to vehicle-treated insects. These results suggest that brown marmorated stinkbug aldehydes are indeed antibacterial agents and serve a multifunctional role for this insect. Therefore, stinkbug aldehydes may have potential for use as chemical antimicrobials.

Synthetic antipyretic drugs are not readily accessible and have adverse side effects. Herbal medicines possess bioactive compounds that are safer and efficient in the management of various diseases and disorders. Acacia hockii and Kigelia africana are traditionally used to manage pyrexia among the Embu and Mbeere communities in Kenya but lack scientific data to validate their use. The present study evaluated for the antipyretic activity of the A. hockii and K. africana in rat models to scientifically validate their traditional use. The plant samples were collected with the help of local herbalists in Embu County, Kenya and transported to Kenyatta University for cleaning, air drying, milling, and extraction. Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups of 5 animals each; normal control, positive control, negative control, and three experimental groups. The antipyretic effect was assessed using turpentine-induced pyrexia method. The antipyretic activities of the extracts were compared to reference drug aspirin. The stem bark extract of A. hockii reduced the raised rectal temperature by between 0.62-3.88% while the stem bark extract of K. africana reduced the elevated rectal temperature by between 0.06-3.07%. The reference drug aspirin reduced the rectal temperature of pyretic rats by between 0.63-3.1%. The qualitative phytochemical screening of the two extracts indicated the presence of flavonoid, alkaloids, steroids, saponins, terpenoids which are associated with the antipyretic activity. The present study demonstrated potent antipyretic activities of methanolic extracts of A. hockii and K. africana in a dose-dependent manner after the second hour of the treatment period, which supports their traditional use. The present study, therefore, recommends the ethnomedicinal use of K. africana and A. hockii in the management of pyrexia.