Bioactivity and toxicity of Bridelia micrantha, Chenopodium ambrosoides and Ocimum americanum plant extracts

Authors

  • Tom Osebe Department Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
  • James Mbaria Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
  • Dorcas Yole Department of Applied and Technical Biology, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya/ Tropical and Infectious Diseases department, Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya
  • David Odongo Department Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
  • Joseph Nderitu Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
  • Horace Ochanda Department Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20164753

Keywords:

Antihelminthic, Schistosomiasis, Toxicity

Abstract

Background: Bridelia micrantha, Chenopodium ambrosoides and Ocimum americanum plant species are commonly used in traditional medicine for a number of ailments. The extracts of these plants have been shown to have anti-schistosomal activity suggesting that they could be used for the development of new chemical entities (NCEs) for the treatment of schistosomiasis. However there is limited knowledge on their toxicological profile and their use in traditional medicine may not be a satisfactory safety indication.

Methods: In this study the extracts were first screened for bioactivity using brine shrimp lethality test for the determination of LC50 followed by rodent acute toxicity and 28 day subchronic studies.

Results: B. micrantha water extract with a LC50 of 77µg/ml was deemed toxic while C. ambrosoides methanol and water extracts were moderately toxic with LC50 of 104.63µg/ml and 696.44µg/ml respectively. O. americanum hexane and water extracts toxicity varied from moderate to slightly toxic with LC50 of 887.59µg/ml and 2254.60µg/ml respectively. C. ambrosoides and O. americanum water extracts which were preferentially selected for subsequent studies were found to have mild to no irritation to rodent eyes and skin. Moreover, the aminotransferases AST and ALT which were used to detect liver injury suggested negligible effect.

Conclusions: This therefore confirms that C. ambrosoides and O. americanum water extracts are safe for clinical use with O. americanum water extract having a slight edge.

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Published

2016-12-24

How to Cite

Osebe, T., Mbaria, J., Yole, D., Odongo, D., Nderitu, J., & Ochanda, H. (2016). Bioactivity and toxicity of Bridelia micrantha, Chenopodium ambrosoides and Ocimum americanum plant extracts. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 6(1), 5–11. https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20164753

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Original Research Articles