Planta Med 2014; 80 - P2B2
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394879

Acute and sub chronic toxicity of Chiranthodendron pentadactylon leaves extracts in rats

E Martínez González 1, C Zavala Silva 1, B Nateras Marin 1, M López Rodríguez 2, A Vázquez Hernández 3, B Fenton Navarro 1
  • 1Laboratorio de Glicobiología. División de estudios de posgrado de la Facultad de ciencias médicas y biológicas “Dr. Ignacio Chávez”. UMSNH. Dr. Rafael Carrillo esq. Dr. Salvador González Herrerón S/N. Col. Bosque-Cuauhtémoc, Centro P.C: 58000. Morelia, México
  • 2Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia UMSNH. P.C:58000 Morelia, Michoacán; México.
  • 3Hospital de especialidades, CMN SXXI, IMSS P.C:06720, México DF, México

Introduction: The little hand flower tree (Chiranthodendron pentadactylon) is native to Mexico and is used as medicinal plant to treat different ailments. There are no reports of the toxicity in the leaves extracts from this plant so this constitute the first report.

Methods: In the acute test [1], different doses of aqueous C. pentadactylon were tested 20, 200, 2000 and 6300 mg/body weight. They were administered to Wistar rats and then observed individually 1h post-dosing, and at least once daily for 14 days. Sub-chronic toxicity [2] was evaluated after administering daily oral dose of 200 mg/kg body wt., for 28 days to the rats, evaluation of mortality, morbidity including behavioral changes, anatomical changes and histopathological analysis were performed. Statistical analysis included ANOVA and t-student test to evaluate significant differences between groups.

Results: The doses used did not cause any mortality or signs of acute toxicity in the animals tested during the experiment and analysis period. The sub-chronic test also agrees with the acute results, no mortality nor morbidity were observed. Body weight was incremented constantly in the period analyzed for acute and sub-chronic toxicity. The extracts showed no pyretic properties. The anatomical and histopathological analysis or liver and kidney showed no damages in all doses tested.

Conclusion: The crude leaves extract from C. pentadactylon presented neither mortality nor toxicity using 6300 mg/kg body weight, so it is classified into category 5 “not classified LD50 > 2000 mg/kg”, and no mortality nor morbidity with the sub-chronic dose was observed. Therefore is completely safe to consume infusions from this plant.

Keywords: Little hand tree, Chiranthodendron pentadactylon, acute and sub-chronic toxicity, histological analysis, Wistar rats.

References:

[1] OECD Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals 420. Acute Oral Toxicity – Fixed Dose Procedure. 2001. Paris, France. http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/SuppDocs/FedDocs/OECD/OECD_GL420.pdf

[2] OECD guidelines for the testing of Chemicals 407. Repeated Dose 28-day Oral Toxicity Study in Rodents 2008. Paris, France. http://iccvam.niehs.nih.gov/SuppDocs/FedDocs/OECD/OECDtg407 – 2008.pdf