Mukinda J T, Syce J A
Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and South African Herbal Science and Medicine Institute, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 May 30;112(1):138-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2007.02.011. Epub 2007 Feb 14.
Artemisia afra (Jacq. Ex. Willd), "African Wormwood" is widely used traditionally in South Africa with no literature evidence substantiating its safety. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of the aqueous extract of Artemisia afra by determining its pharmaco-toxicological effects after acute and chronic administration in mice and rats, respectively. The aqueous extract mimicked the traditional decoction dosage form of Artemisia afra. In mice, single intraperitoneal injections of Artemisia afra-extract (1.5-5.5g/kg) induced a regular dose-dependent increase in the death rate and incidence of general behaviour adverse effects, while with single oral doses (2-24g/kg) the increases in incidence of general behaviour adverse effects and mortality rate were dose-independent. The LD(50s) after acute intraperitoneal and oral doses were 2.45 and 8.96g/kg, respectively. Rats given oral doses of Artemisia afra-extract (0.1 or 1g/kg/day) survived the 3 months of dosing (i.e. LD(50) much higher than 1g/kg), experienced no significant changes in general behaviour and haematological and biochemical parameters, except for transient decrease in AST activity. No significant changes were observed in organ weights, and histopathological results showed normal profile suggesting no morphological alterations. Collectively, the results indicate that Artemisia afra-extract is non-toxic when given acutely, has low chronic toxicity potential and, in high doses, may have a hepatoprotective effect.
南非艾草（学名：Artemisia afra (Jacq. Ex. Willd)，又称“非洲苦艾”）在南非传统医学中被广泛使用，但尚无文献证据证实其安全性。本研究旨在通过分别测定艾草水提取物在小鼠和大鼠急性及慢性给药后的药理毒理学效应，来探究其安全性。该水提取物模拟了南非艾草传统煎剂剂型。在小鼠中，单次腹腔注射艾草提取物（1.5 - 5.5克/千克）会导致死亡率和一般行为不良反应发生率呈规律的剂量依赖性增加，而单次口服给药（2 - 24克/千克）时，一般行为不良反应发生率和死亡率的增加与剂量无关。急性腹腔注射和口服给药后的半数致死量（LD50）分别为2.45克/千克和8.96克/千克。口服艾草提取物（0.1或1克/千克/天）的大鼠在3个月给药期内存活（即LD50远高于1克/千克），除天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）活性短暂下降外，一般行为、血液学和生化参数均无显著变化。器官重量无显著变化，组织病理学结果显示正常形态，表明无形态学改变。总体而言，结果表明艾草提取物急性给药时无毒，慢性毒性潜力低，且高剂量时可能具有肝脏保护作用。
