Toxicological studies of aqueous extract of Acacia nilotica root

Efficacy of a vaginal suppository formulation prepared with Acacia arabica (Lam.) Willd. gum and Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl. in heavy menstrual bleeding analyzed using a machine learning technique

Objective: This study aims to determine the efficacy of the Acacia arabica (Lam.) Willd. and Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl. vaginal suppository in addressing heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) and their impact on participants' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) analyzed using machine learning algorithms. Method: A total of 62 participants were enrolled in a double-dummy, single-center study. They were randomly assigned to either the suppository group (SG), receiving a formulation prepared with Acacia arabica gum (Gond Babul) and camphor from Cinnamomum camphora (Kafoor) through two vaginal suppositories (each weighing 3,500 mg) for 7 days at bedtime along with oral placebo capsules, or the tranexamic group (TG), receiving oral tranexamic acid (500 mg) twice a day for 5 days and two placebo vaginal suppositories during menstruation at bedtime for three consecutive menstrual cycles. The primary outcome was the pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBLAC) for HMB, and secondary outcomes included hemoglobin level and SF-36 HRQoL questionnaire scores. Additionally, machine learning algorithms such as k-nearest neighbor (KNN), AdaBoost (AB), naive Bayes (NB), and random forest (RF) classifiers were employed for analysis. Results: In the SG and TG, the mean PBLAC score decreased from 635.322 ± 504.23 to 67.70 ± 22.37 and 512.93 ± 283.57 to 97.96 ± 39.25, respectively, at post-intervention (TF3), demonstrating a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). A higher percentage of participants in the SG achieved normal menstrual blood loss compared to the TG (93.5% vs 74.2%). The SG showed a considerable improvement in total SF-36 scores (73.56%) compared to the TG (65.65%), with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Additionally, no serious adverse events were reported in either group. Notably, machine learning algorithms, particularly AB and KNN, demonstrated the highest accuracy within cross-validation models for both primary and secondary outcomes. Conclusion: The A. arabica and C. camphora vaginal suppository is effective, cost-effective, and safe in controlling HMB. This botanical vaginal suppository provides a novel and innovative alternative to traditional interventions, demonstrating promise as an effective management approach for HMB.

Evaluation of the cytotoxic, anticancer, and genotoxic activities of Acacia nilotica flowers and their effects on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced genotoxicity in mice

Purpose

In this study, two main research objectives were examined: (1) the cytotoxic and anticancer activities of the aqueous methanol extract from Acacia nilotica flowers on three human cancer cells, namely lung A549, breast MCF-7, and leukemia THP-1 cells, and (2) the genotoxic effects of A. nilotica extract and its influence on DNA damage induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) in mice.

Methods

Mice were orally treated with A. nilotica extract (200, 500, and 800 mg/kg for 4 days) with or without MNU (80 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 24 h).

Results

In vitro experiments showed that A549 cells were the most sensitive to A. nilotica extract among the tested cell lines. A. nilotica extract inhibited A549 cell proliferation by blocking the cell cycle at the G₂/M phase and accumulating apoptotic cells in the sub-G₀/G₁ phase in A549 cells. In vivo experiments showed that MNU induced positive and negative genotoxicity in bone marrow cells and spermatocytes, respectively. Negative genotoxicity was observed in A. nilotica extract-treated groups only. However, A. nilotica extract (800 mg/kg) remarkably increased comet tail formation in bone marrow cells. Unexpectedly, the absence of antigenotoxicity was observed in three cotreated groups with A. nilotica extract and MNU compared with the MNU-treated group. Astonishingly, cotreatment with MNU and A. nilotica extract at a dose above 200 mg/kg remarkably increased micronucleus and comet tail formation in bone marrow cells compared with the MNU-treated group.

Conclusions

A. nilotica extract possessed anticancer activity with relative genotoxic effects at high doses.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11033-022-07662-0.

Long-term toxicological studies on the Chinese medicine 2036 Specialty-Qiangxin recipe in rats

CONTEXT

The traditional medicine 2036 Specialty-Qiangxin recipe (2036S-QXR) has been widely used in China to improve cardiac function, prevent stroke, and strengthen the immune system. However, its long-term toxicity remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The present study evaluates the long-term toxicity of 2036S-QXR in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

2036S-QXR (0.6, 1.2, and 2.4 g/kg body weight per day) was orally administered for 26 weeks to Wistar rats, while the rats in the control group received distilled water. The effects on urinary, hematological, biochemical, and histopathological parameters were investigated during the study period.

RESULTS

No significant changes in all tested parameters were observed in the 0.6 and 1.2 g/kg groups, compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (46.00 ± 12.85 vs. 25.40 ± 3.36) and aspartate aminotransferase (152.40 ± 32.52 vs. 111.40 ± 18.78) were observed after 13 weeks in the female rats in the 2.4 g/kg group compared with the control group (p < 0.05), but these returned to the control levels after the recovery period (p > 0.05). Several cases displayed the presence of urine protein (3/7 males and 3/7 females) and mild lesions in the kidney (10/20) and thymus (5/20) in the 2.4 g/kg group, without significant changes compared with the control group (p > 0.05).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The present study shows that 2036S-QXR does not cause long-term toxicity, supporting its therapeutic use. To further determine the optimal doses, future studies should test more doses and include more animals in each group.

A 90-Day Oral Toxicity of Hydroethanolic Root Extract of Carissa spinarum in Wistar Rats

BACKGROUND

Herbal medication is a worldwide and ancient practice, mostly in developing countries, where a large part of the population is involved in this practice. Hence, studies must be conducted to evaluate their safety and efficiency to avoid or prevent toxicological risks due to their usage. In Togo, Carissa spinarum is a medicinal plant belonging to Apocynaceae family, used as an aphrodisiac or to heal some ailments including malaria, sickle cell anemia, hypertension, pain, and asthma. Notwithstanding its several ethnomedicinal benefits, just a few toxicological data associated with its chronic use are available.

OBJECTIVE

Therefore, this study aims to assess the toxicity of an ethanolic root extract of Carissa spinarum in Wistar rats.

METHODS

The 90-day oral toxicity process following OECD TG 408 guidelines is used. Male Wistar rats received Carissa spinarum root hydroethanolic extract at 500 and 1000 mg/kg for 90 days by oral gavage. Body weight changes, hematological and blood biochemical parameters, organ weight changes, malondialdehyde as a lipoperoxidation marker expressed according to tissue proteins, and histopathology of vital organs were assessed.

RESULTS

No signs of toxicity or mortality were observed during the 90 days experiment. Hematological parameters have not shown any treatment-related abnormalities. According to biochemical parameters, an increase in the chloride ion level was observed at 1000 mg/kg (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the treated groups and the control group concerning the malondialdehyde concentration, body weight, and organ relative weight. No changes in necropsy and histopathology of vital organs associated with extract treatment were observed.

CONCLUSION

The results indicated that an ethanolic root extract of Carissa spinarum does not cause adverse effects, which can lead to Wistar rats' death after 90-day oral administration at 500 and 1000 mg.

Cytotoxicity, Acute, and Subacute Study of Hydroalcoholic Root Extract of Carissa spinarum L. on Wistar Rats

Carissa spinarum L. (Apocynaceae) is used traditionally, in Africa, to treat many diseases such as malaria, sickle cell anemia, epilepsy, helminthoses, and sexual weakness. The aim of this study is to investigate the cytotoxicity on Artemia salina, the acute and subacute (28 days) oral toxicity of C. spinarum hydroalcoholic root extract on Wistar rats. The cytotoxicity was performed on A. salina larvae. The acute and subacute toxicity was performed using Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development guideline. Malondiadehyde as lipoperoxidation marker was evaluated and expressed according to tissue proteins. The cytotoxicity has shown that the lethal concentration 50 (LC₅₀) was 0.9 mg/mL. The limit test dose of 5000 mg/kg did not provoke death or toxicity signs. For the subacute toxicity, no signs of toxicity or mortality were observed during the experiment. Results of biochemical and hematological parameters have not shown any treatment-related abnormalities, except a significant decrease of alkaline phosphatase at 1000 mg/kg (P < .05) and an increase of chloride ion level at 500 mg/kg (P < .01). There was no significant difference between the treated group and the control group concerning the malondialdehyde concentration, the body weight, and the organs relative weight (P < .05), except for testis at 500 mg/kg (P < .05). According to our results, the hydroalcoholic extract of C. spinarum roots is safe when administrated at 500 mg and 1000 mg/kg to Wistar rats for 28 days.

Toxicological Studies of Hydroethanolic Leaf Extract of Launaea taraxacifolia (Willd) Amin Ex C. Jeffrey on Wistar Rats

Launaea taraxacifolia (Asteraceae) is a widely used vegetable in West Africa. It is used in traditional healing of many diseases such as hypertension, anemia, diabetes, and bleeding. The aim of this study is to investigate the cytotoxicity and the acute and subacute (28 days) oral toxicity of L. taraxacifolia hydroethanolic leaves extract on male Wistar rats. The LC₅₀ values of L. taraxacifolia on brine shrimp were 0.142 ± 0.11 mg/mL. The limit test dose of 5000 mg/kg did not provoke death or toxicity signs in the rats tested during the observation period. For 28 days subacute toxicity at 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight, no signs of toxicity or mortality were observed during the experiment. There was no significant difference between the treated groups and the control group concerning the body and the relative organs weight (P > .05). Results of biochemical and hematological parameters did not show any treatment-related abnormalities. According to our results, the hydroethanolic extract of L. taraxacifolia leaves, at 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight, is safe when administrated to male Wistar rats for 28 days.

Toxicity studies of Acacia nilotica (L.): A review of the published scientific literature

Introduction: Acacia nilotica is a valuable plant with medicinal properties that increasinglyincites the curiosity of many researchers. Its pharmacological properties are reported in manystudies, but the fact remains that the plant can be just as toxic as any modern pharmaceuticaldrug. It is very important to dispose sufficient knowledge on what are reported concerning itstoxicity profile. This review is aimed to provide comprehensive summary (all-in-one) of whathave been reported about the toxicity of A. nilotica and to determine the necessity or not toconduct more toxicological studies in a further step toward rationalizing its medicinal use.Methods: Scientific information about the toxicity and or safety of A. nilotica reported elsewherewere reviewed. Search engines such as Google, Bing and Baidu and databases of scientificjournals such as PubMed, Scopus, CAS, CABI, HINARI and AJOL were used to retrieve studiesfrom 1999 to 2017.Results: Few studies have reported the toxicity potential of A. nilotica and most with very limitedinformation. Three of them have reported serious deleterious toxic effects of certain parts of theplant on major organ systems such as kidney and liver. Stem bark as part of A. nilotica appearedto be the most cited to cause observable clinical signs of toxicity and organs lesions.Conclusion: Overall, this review provided comprehensive information on what is known aboutthe toxicity of A. nilotica and showed the necessity to conduct more advanced long-term-basedtoxicological studies.