Anti-Helicobacter Pylor, anti-inflammatory, and acute and subacute toxicity studies of Hippocratea celastroides extracts

Hippocratea celastroides is used in Mexican Traditional Medicine for the treatment of gastric and intestinal infections, systemic and skin inflammation, injuries and gastritis. A methanolic (MeOH) extract was prepared from the root-bark, then subjected to an acid-base extraction obtaining the total alkaloid and the non-alkaloid extracts. Ear edema was induced in Balb-C mice with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate to study the anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts. To determinate in vivo acute toxicity, an hydro-ethanolic extract was obtained and administered orally to Balb-C mice at doses ranging from 2000 to 5000 mg/kg, while for the subacute study, an hydro-ethanolic extract was given at doses from 200 to 2000 mg/kg body weight. Animals were observed daily for toxicity signs during 42 days. Alkaloids were identified both in the root-bark MeOH extract and its total alkaloid extract. Significant anti-inflammatory effects of the MeOH extract as well as of the alkaloid and non-alkaloid extracts were observed. The MeOH and non-alkaloid extracts inhibited the growth of H. pylori at a minimal inhibitory concentration of 31.5 µg/mL. The oral LD₅₀ (letal dose 50) values of the MeOH and non-alkaloid extracts were indeterminable at the highest tested doses.