Akindele Abidemi J, Oladimeji-Salami Joy A, Oyetola Ramon A, Osiagwu Daniel D
Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba Campus, P.M.B. 12003 Lagos, Nigeria.
National Biotechnology Development Agency, Umaru Musa Ya'adua Way, Lugbe, P.M.B. 5118 Abuja, Nigeria.
Medicines (Basel). 2018 Jan 6;5(1):4. doi: 10.3390/medicines5010004.
: Due to its nutritional and medicinal values, the leaf of Hook f. (Cucurbitaceae) is consumed in different parts of Nigeria. Acute and sub-chronic toxicity of the hydroethanolic leaf extract of were investigated in this study. : Sixty-four male rats were randomized into four different groups of 16 animals each and were separately administered 80, 400 and 2000 mg/kg orally () for 60 days. Animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for hematological and biochemical analyses. Vital organs were harvested and evaluated for antioxidants and histopathological changes. : A significant ( < 0.05) reduction in weight of the testes, compared to the control group, was observed in the group treated with 2000 mg/kg extract. No significant change was observed in the weight of other vital organs relative to the control group. There were significant ( < 0.01) increases in sperm motility and count in the group administered 80 mg/kg extract and significant ( < 0.001) reductions in both parameters at 2000 mg/kg. There were significant increases in the levels of hemoglobin and packed cell volume at 80 and 2000 mg/kg of the extract. In respect of liver function parameters, significant reductions in aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels at doses of 400 and 2000 mg/kg relative to control were observed. Compared to control, the extract significantly reduced ( < 0.05) the level of total cholesterol (400 mg/kg) and caused a significant increase in the level of high-density lipoprotein (80, 400 and 2000 mg/kg). Significant ( < 0.05) increase in the level of malondialdehyde, decrease in superoxide dismutase level and histopathological abnormalities were observed in the testes at 2000 mg/kg. Upon cessation of treatment with for 30 days, the observed effects were reversed. : The findings showed that the hydroethanolic leaf extract of is relatively non-toxic on acute and sub-chronic exposures at low to moderate doses, with the potential to elicit anti-anemic effects, reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, and enhance antioxidant status in the brain and liver. Although possibly beneficial at low to moderate doses, the extract could be harmful to the testes with prolonged oral exposure at high dose.
由于其营养和药用价值，尼日利亚不同地区的人们食用葫芦科植物胡克氏叶。本研究对该植物叶的水乙醇提取物进行了急性和亚慢性毒性研究。64只雄性大鼠被随机分为四组，每组16只，分别口服80、400和2000毫克/千克提取物，持续60天。处死动物后采集血样进行血液学和生化分析。摘取重要器官并评估其抗氧化剂水平和组织病理学变化。与对照组相比，在接受2000毫克/千克提取物治疗的组中观察到睾丸重量显著（P<0.05）减轻。相对于对照组，其他重要器官的重量未观察到显著变化。在给予80毫克/千克提取物的组中，精子活力和数量显著（P<0.01）增加，而在2000毫克/千克时，这两个参数显著（P<0.001）降低。在80和2000毫克/千克提取物剂量下，血红蛋白水平和红细胞压积显著增加。关于肝功能参数，在400和2000毫克/千克剂量下，相对于对照组，天冬氨酸转氨酶和丙氨酸转氨酶水平显著降低。与对照组相比，提取物显著降低（P<0.05）总胆固醇水平（400毫克/千克），并使高密度脂蛋白水平显著增加（80、400和2000毫克/千克）。在2000毫克/千克时，睾丸中丙二醛水平显著（P<0.05）增加，超氧化物歧化酶水平降低，且出现组织病理学异常。在停止使用提取物治疗30天后，观察到的影响得到逆转。研究结果表明，该植物叶的水乙醇提取物在低至中等剂量的急性和亚慢性暴露下相对无毒，具有引发抗贫血作用、降低动脉粥样硬化和心血管疾病风险以及增强脑和肝脏抗氧化状态的潜力。尽管在低至中等剂量下可能有益，但高剂量长期口服暴露可能对睾丸有害。
