Planta Med 2007; 73 - P_496
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-987276

Preliminary phytochemical screening, cytotoxicity and acute toxicity of Aristolochia albida ethanolic extract

L Kamagaju 1, MJ Mukazayire 1, 2, J Nyiligira 1, C Gnoula 2, JP Mugiraneza 1, P Duez 2
  • 1Centre de Recherches en Phytomédicaments et Sciences de la vie, Institut de Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (I.R.S.T.), B.P. 227 Butare, Rwanda
  • 2Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, de Bromatologie et de Nutrition Humaine, Institut de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP 205/9, Bd du Triomphe, Bruxelles, Belgique. (32–2–650.5283)

Aristolochia albida D. (Aristolochiaceae) can be found in Africa, Asia, Europe and in the North and South of America. Its seeds are used in traditional medicine in Rwanda for the treatment of malaria. Phytochemical and biological investigations on the seeds ethanolic extract are still in progress, but the preliminary results show that A. albida is rich in alkaloids. A series of seeds ethanolic extract doses (from 0.5g/kg to 8g/kg) were administered by oral and peritoneal routes to guinea-pigs which were observed during 24h; after 24h some of the animals were sacrificed and the internal organs were observed. No acute toxicological effect could be registered, even at the higher dosage. In vitro studies on the cytotoxicity of seeds methanolic extract (doses from 0.01 µg/ml to 100µg/ml) on U373 MG (human glioblastoma astrocytoma) and A549 (human lung carcinoma) cells (Microculture Tetrazolium Test, MTT) show a promising activity (IC50=46.4µg/ml for U373 and IC50=73.8µg/ml for A549) worthy of further investigation.

Reference: Litchifield, J.T. and Wilcoxon, F., 1949, J.Pharmacol. Exptl.Therap., 96:99.