Aku Enam Motto

Background: Alchornea cordifolia is traditionally used in West Africa to maintain pregnancy. However, no scientific study has proven its efficacy or safety in preventing miscarriage. Objective: The current study was undertaken to evaluate the tocolytic effect of the hydroethanolic extract of A. cordifolia leaves to provide scientific evidence for its use in treating pregnancy loss. Materials and Methods: Total flavonoids, total phenols and tannins were quantified in the hydro-ethanolic leaves extract of A. cordifolia. The antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated by total antioxidant capacity, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity, and iron-reducing capacity. Its anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in vitro on rat erythrocytes using the membrane stabilization test. For tocolytic tests, myometrial flaps from Wistar rats were mounted in an organ bath containing Krebs-Henseleit physiological solution, and spontaneous contractions were recorded in the presence of the hydroethanolic extract of A. cordifolia leaves, oxytocin, misoprostol and indomethacin. Results: The A. cordifolia extract has a high antioxidant capacity of the A. cordifolia extract (243.39 ± 19.71 mg AA eq/g). It reduced the DPPH free radical (IC50 = 39.31 ± 0.69 µg/mL) compared to quercetin (IC50 = 22.27 ± 0.07 µg/mL). Compared to quercetin, the extract showed a strong iron-reducing capacity. The extract showed a strong anti-inflammatory activity by protecting erythrocyte membranes from hemolysis (IC50 = 424.6 ± 27.55 µg/mL) compared to aspirin (IC50 = 603.6 ± 193.8 µg/mL). The A. cordifolia extract (6.25 10⁻³ to 800 10⁻³ mg/mL) significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the tension and frequency of spontaneous myometrial contractions. In normal physiological saline, it reduced the uterotonic effect of oxytocin (10⁻⁵ IU/mL), and in calcium-free physiological saline, it inhibited the effect of oxytocin on the myometrium at high concentrations. The A. cordifolia extract and indomethacin (1 mg/mL) significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the effect of misoprostol (10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁵ M) on the myometrium. Conclusion: The extract has a tocolytic effect and possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. These results showed that the leaves of A. cordifolia plants can be used in the prevention of miscarriages.

Background. Belonging to the family of Combretaceae, the roots of Anogeissus leiocarpus are traditionally used to treat diabetes, wounds, infections, pain, and gastrointestinal diseases. To our knowledge, no genotoxicity assessment of the plant was reported. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate the potential genotoxic and protective effects of extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus roots using the micronucleus test on mice bone marrow cells in vivo. Methods. Three different concentrations (250, 500, and 1000 mg·kg−1) of hydroalcoholic extract of roots of A. leiocarpus were administered daily for 7 days per os to mice, and the genotoxicity was induced by the administration ip of cyclophosphamide. Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity were evaluated by counting, respectively, the number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes and polychromatic erythrocytes to total erythrocytes in the bone marrow of mice. Results. The administration of A. leiocarpus did neither increase the ratio of the polychromatic erythrocyte (PCE) nor the frequency of micronucleated PCE (MNPCE) significantly in the bone marrow cells of the mice, compared to the vehicle control animals. However, a significant increase in the incidence of MNPCE in the bone marrow cell of the cyclophosphamide-treated mice was found. Moreover, in the groups treated with the total extract of A. leiocarpus at different doses plus cyclophosphamide, there was a significant decrease p < 0.0001 in MNPCEs compared to the positive controls, in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion. This first finding reports that the extract of A. leiocarpus was neither genotoxic nor cytotoxic. However, it shows a protective effect against the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamide.

Genus of the family of Combretacae, Anogeissus leiocarpus is a tropical plant widely used to treat many diseases in traditional medicines. This study was investigated to assess the acute and subchronic toxicity of the hydro alcoholic extract of roots of Anogeissus leiocarpus. In the acute test, the limit test dose of 5000 mg.kg⁻¹ was administered orally to three Sprague Dawley female rats and then observed individually 1 h post-dosing, and at least twice daily for 14 days. The subchronic toxicity study was conducted by daily oral administration at doses of 500 and 1000 mg.kg⁻¹ to both sexes of rats during 28 days. At the end of experimentation, general clinical signs, mortality, haematological, biochemical and histopathological assessments were carried out. The limit dose of 5000 mg.kg⁻¹ did not cause any mortality in the rats tested during the observation period. This suggests that the median Lethal Dose 50 (LD50) is higher than 5000 mg.kg⁻¹ by oral administration in rats. In subchronic toxicity study, no abnormalities in body weight, food consumption, clinical signs, serum biochemistry, electrolytes, hematology, organ weights, and in histopathological examination were revealed in both sexes of rats treated with roots of Anogeissus leiocarpus at the doses of 500 and 1000 mg.kg⁻¹. Based on these results, we concluded that roots of Anogeissus leiocarpus are safe to be used as a medicinal plant.

Anogeissus leiocarpus (Combretaceae) is a medicinal plant used by traditional practitioners to treat people living with diabetes mellitus in Togo. The objective of this work was to evaluate the hypoglycemic activity of the plant. The hydroalcoholic extract and fractions of A. leiocarpus roots was evaluated on hyperglycemic mice by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and on normoglycemic mice. The effect of the total extract and fractions was also measured on the adsorption and absorption of glucose respectively in vitro and ex vivo. At 30 minutes after glucose overload, the total extract and all fractions (supernatant and pellet) significantly (p< 0.0001) reduced hyperglycemia compared to controls. However, this reduction in hyperglycemia was greater in mice treated with the supernatant fraction at 100 mg.kg-1 during 180 minutes (p < 0.01). In our conditions, the extract at the 500 mg.kg-1 of the total extract in normoglycemic mice did not significantly decrease (p>0.05) basal blood glucose levels compared to controls. In vitro, the extract and fractions of A. leiocarpus adsorbed glucose and inhibited glucose intestinal absorption ex vivo. The results of this study support the use of A. leiocarpus as an antidiabetic plant. Keywords: Anogeissus leiocarpus- fractions- antihyperglycemic- adsorption – absorption.