Vertical exposition to Luffa operculata extract deregulates behavior and hypothalamus neurotransmitters in juvenile rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Luffa operculata (L.) Cogn (Cucurbitaceae) is a traditional plant popularly used in the abortion induction, against sinusitis and is toxic.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To verify the influence of the aqueous extract obtained from the dry fruit of L. operculata (BNE) on the male rats vertically exposed to a subabortive dose of BNE, by evaluating alterations in behavior and neurochemical features in hypothalamus, striatum and frontal cortex, at a juvenile age, after receiving a stress challenge given by the use of the "New York subway stress" technique (NYS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pregnant female rats (F0 generation) received 1.0 mg/kg BNE, or distilled water (100 mL/kg), by gavage, between gestation days GD17 and GD21. The pups were weaned at PND21 and were kept up to PND60 (juvenile age) in controlled environmental conditions. Four groups were obtained: control (CG), experimental (EG), stress control (SCG) and stress experimental (SEG) After being stressed, the animals were behavioral screened for in the open field (OF) and in light-dark box (LDB) apparatuses. They were euthanized, and the liver, kidneys and brain were removed for both macroscopic and microscopic analyses, and for quantification of vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and its metabolite, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and the serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindolylacetic acid (5-HIAA) were accessed in the hypothalamus, frontal cortex and striatum.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

although most of the behavior changes were due to the stress challenge, the rats spent more time in the dark side of the LDB and were less likely to explore the light side, indicating that the treatment with BNE induced to fear. Interferences of BNE over behavior were due to impairment of VMA, NE, 5-HT and DA and increasing of DOPAC in the hypothalamus, and an increase of 5-HIAA in the frontal cortex, indicating alterations in the hypothalamic-hypophysis-adrenal axis (HHAA). No macroscopic or histopathological changes were observed in the liver, kidneys, or brain, although GFAP was diminished in the SCG, as expected for stressed rats.

CONCLUSION

the vertical exposition of juvenile rats to BNE led to the manifestation of fear and to a down regulation of the hypothalamic-hypophysis-adrenal axis.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of ethanolic extract of Euphorbia hyssopifolia L. on HepG2 cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Euphorbia hyssopifolia L. is a weed with recognized antimicrobial potential employed in Indian, Asian and Latin-American popular medicine. However, little is known with regard to its toxic potential. The present study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of ethanolic extract of E. hyssopifolia in HepG2 cell culture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Phytochemical screening of ethanolic extract was carried out to determine the presence of active secondary plant metabolites. Six concentrations (0.00001, 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0mg/mL) of ethanolic extract were tested by the MTT assay to verify cytotoxicity. Then, genotoxic evaluations (alkaline comet assay and cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay - CBMN) were carried out in HepG2 cells with extract concentrations of 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0mg/mL.

RESULTS

Mono and sesquiterpenes, triterpenes and steroids, and flavonoids were the main classes found in the phytochemical screening. Extract concentrations used in the MTT assay showed no cytotoxic activity. On the other hand, genotoxic activity was verified at 0.1 and 1.0mg/mL in the alkaline comet assay. Additionally, the 1.0mg/mL concentration induced severe cell damage leading to death in the CBMN assay, indicating a cytotoxic effect for this concentration in the latter method.

CONCLUSION

The use of E. hyssopifolia extract for medicinal purposes should be avoided, because concentrations above 0.01mg/mL may pose risk to human health due to cytotoxic and/or genotoxic effects.