Withania frutescens. L Extract: Phytochemical Characterization and Acute and Repeated Dose 28-Day Oral Toxicity Studies in Mice

Abstract

Background. Withania frutescens. L (W. frutescens) is a perennial woody medicinal plant belonging to family Solanaceae largely used by the indigenous population to Morocco for the treatment of disease. Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate the chemical composition, acute, and subacute toxicity of W. frutescens extract in mice. Materials and Methods. The phytochemical composition of W. frutescens extract was determined using a gas chromatograph (GC/MS). Acute toxicity study was carried out in mice through oral administration of single doses 500 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg, and 2000 mg/kg for 14 days. Subacute toxicity was performed with oral administration of repeated doses 500 and 2000 mg/kg/day for 28 days. Biochemical parameters (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea, and creatinine), as well as histopathological changes potentially occurred in organs, (liver, kidney, and spleen) were evaluated. Results. The results of chromatographic analysis showed the richness of W. frutescens extract in interesting phytochemical compounds majorly constituted of bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane, 6,6-dimethyl-2-methylene-(C10H16). Regarding acute toxicity study, the results showed no clinical symptoms occurred in treated mice compared to the control group and no histological changes detected in analyzed organs of treated mice with dose put to 2000 mg/kg nor adverse effect on biochemical parameters. Conclusion. The outcome of this work showed no toxic effect of W. frutescens in mice up to dose 2000 mg/kg bodyweight. Therefore, this study could scientifically validate further traditional use with safety in the range of tested doses.

Chemical Profiling, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activity against Drug-Resistant Microbes of Essential Oil from Withania frutescens L.

“…For the other compounds, 3.18 ± 74% and 4.22 ± 0.36% were detected by both columns, respectively. therefore, the studied plant was considered safe in animals treated under both acute and subacute toxicity conditions [22][23][24]. Preliminary phytochemical screening of W. frutescens extracts showed the presence of some compound classes including tannins, coumarins, saponins, and mucilage [25].…”

“…Moreover, the chemical analysis of the W. frutescens.L extract showed that this plant possessed pentacarbonyl (13.22%), 2-phenazine carbonitrile (10.64%), Terpinenol-4 (10.04%), 4H-1-benzopyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro-5,7-dihydroxy-2phenyl(S) (8.76%), and bicyclo [3.1.1]heptane, 6,6-dimethyl-2-methylene (28.48%) [20,21]. Earlier works showed no toxic effects in animals treated with the W. frutescens extract, therefore, the studied plant was considered safe in animals treated under both acute and subacute toxicity conditions [22][23][24]. Preliminary phytochemical screening of W. frutescens extracts showed the presence of some compound classes including tannins, coumarins, saponins, and mucilage [25].…”

Responses of Withania frutescens (L.) Pauquy (Solanaceae) Growing in the Mediterranean Area to Changes in the Environmental Conditions: An Approach of Adaptation

“…The furnace temperature program was set to 70-270 • C at 4 • C/min and then maintained at 270 • C for 20 min. The temperature of the injector was set to 280 • C and that of the detector to 290 • C. The injection was carried out in fractionated mode (El Moussaoui et al, 2020).…”

A 90-Day Oral Toxicity Study of an Ethanolic Root Extract of Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb. in Wistar Rats

“…The continued use of herbal medicines in traditional medicine is attributable not only to cultural and poverty reasons but also to its effectiveness against many diseases as they possess the ability to synthesize, through complex metabolic pathways, many bioactive compounds at different biological and pharmacological properties [ 1 , 2 ]. So, in a quarter of biomedical medications regularly prescribed, at least one active ingredient comes from these plants and the rest of the substances are chemically produced in laboratories [ 3 ].…”

“…So, in a quarter of biomedical medications regularly prescribed, at least one active ingredient comes from these plants and the rest of the substances are chemically produced in laboratories [ 3 ]. Therefore, the traditional herbal medicines are getting more and more significant attention in global population and the search for new natural drugs with fewer side effects, bringing an additional change in the modern world, is then highly appreciated [ 2 , 4 ]. However, continued use of these plants for medication without validly reporting on their toxic profiles scientifically could negatively affect human health [ 2 ].…”