Toxicity Testing of Two Medicinal Plants, Bridelia micrantha and Antidesma venosum

Abstract

Abstract:A. venosum and B. micrantha are widely used ethnomedically and B. micrantha has furthermore indicated the potential to be developed into a drug due to the various biological activities previously reported. However, the safety of a plant must be determined before drug development. Cytotoxicity was determined using human adenocarcinoma cells of the cervix (HeLa), human breast cells (MCF-12A), lymphocytes (both resting and stimulated) as well as primary porcine hepatocytes. Acute systemic toxicity was determined using the luminescent bacteria, Vibrio fischerii and the vertebrate, Poecilia reticulata (guppy). Toxicity was found to be concentration dependent when HeLa and MCF-12A cells were exposed to the plant extracts. The IC 50 was not reached at the concentrations tested (0.1 μg/ml -1 mg/ml) for the hepatocytes as well as the resting and stimulated lymphocytes, indicative that both plant extracts showed little or no direct cytotoxicity against primary cultures. Both extracts resulted in 100% mortality of the guppies. This study illustrated that extracts of both B. micrantha and A. venosum are cytotoxic and possess acute systemic toxicity.

Ethnopharmacology and Therapeutic Value of Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill. in Tropical Africa: A Comprehensive Review

“…The following activities have been reported from B. micrantha : anthelmintic [ 79 ], antibacterial [ 19 , 32 , 36 , 74 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 ], anticonvulsant and sedative [ 84 ], antidiabetic [ 85 ], antidiarrhoeal [ 25 ], antifungial [ 36 , 83 ], anti- Helicobacter pylori [ 70 , 81 , 82 ], antimycobacterial [ 78 , 86 ], antinociceptive [ 87 ], antioxidant [ 77 , 85 , 87 , 88 , 89 ], antiplasmodial [ 59 , 90 , 91 ], antischistosomal [ 92 ], antiviral [ 39 , 40 ], hepatoprotective [ 88 ], insecticidal [ 93 ], β-lactamase inhibitory [ 94 ], toxicity and cytotoxicity [ 87 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 ].…”

“…Steenkamp et al [ 96 ] evaluated the cytotoxicity of B. micrantha using human adenocarcinoma cells of the cervix (HeLa), human breast cells (MCF-12A), lymphocytes (both resting and stimulated) and primary porcine hepatocytes. Steenkamp et al [ 96 ] also determined acute systemic toxicity of B. micrantha extracts using the luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischerii and the vertebrate Poecilia reticulata (guppy).…”

“…Steenkamp et al [ 96 ] evaluated the cytotoxicity of B. micrantha using human adenocarcinoma cells of the cervix (HeLa), human breast cells (MCF-12A), lymphocytes (both resting and stimulated) and primary porcine hepatocytes. Steenkamp et al [ 96 ] also determined acute systemic toxicity of B. micrantha extracts using the luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischerii and the vertebrate Poecilia reticulata (guppy). The 50% inhibition of proliferation (IC 50 ) of B. micrantha in HeLa cells was 8.9 μg/mL, IC 50 was 24.2 μg/mL in MCF-12A cells and the positive control, cisplatin had IC 50 value of 1.14 μg/mL and 0.21 μg/mL for the HeLa and MCF-12A cells respectively.…”

“…Toxicity was found to be concentration dependent when HeLa and MCF-12A cells were exposed to B. micrantha extracts. B. micrantha extracts resulted in 100% mortality of the guppies [ 96 ]. Similarly, Omosa et al [ 98 ] evaluated the cytotoxicity of dichloromethane and methanol (1:1) extract of B. micrantha leaves and stem bark using the resazurin reduction assay against CCRF-CEM leukemia cell line.…”

The in-vitro antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants against β-lactam-resistant bacteria

“…Concerning the safety of the plants studied, G. lucida has little toxicity to Vero cells and the host cells [25], whereas the extract of B. micrantha is cytotoxic and possess acute systemic toxicity [34].…”