Pharmaco-toxic characterization of the aqueous extract from Pereskia grandifolia leaves

Medicinal plants are rich sources of bioactive compounds with potential for therapeutic, cosmetic and food use, and the species Pereskia grandifolia is widely used by low-income populations for nutritional and medicinal purposes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmaco-toxic potenti...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Simão, Anderson Assaid, Correa, Angelita Duarte, Carvalho, Thaís Cristina Lima de, Cesar, Pedro Henrique Souza, Oliveira, Carlos Henrique de Moura, Marcussi, Silvana
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2015
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA)
Repository:Repositório Institucional da UFLA
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.ufla.br:1/13410
Online Access:https://repositorio.ufla.br/handle/1/13410
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Medicinal plants
Ora-pro-nobis – Bioactive compounds
Ora-pro-nobis – Toxicology
Plantas medicinais
Ora-pro-nobis – Compostos bioativos
Ora-pro-nobis – Toxicologia
Pereskia grandifolia
Description
Summary:Medicinal plants are rich sources of bioactive compounds with potential for therapeutic, cosmetic and food use, and the species Pereskia grandifolia is widely used by low-income populations for nutritional and medicinal purposes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmaco-toxic potential of the aqueous extract from P. grandifolia leaves, in order to obtain information on the safety of its use. P. grandifolia leaves were dried, ground and the obtained flour was subjected to decoction at a 1:25 (wv-1) ratio. The extract was then centrifuged and the supernatant was collected and lyophilized. The genotoxic potential on human leukocytes (comet assay) was evaluated, as well as phospholipase, hemolytic, coagulant and fibrinogenolytic activities, besides potential interactions with isolated hyaluronidases (evaluated in polyacrylamide gel). The evaluated doses of the aqueous extract from P. grandifolia leaves did not induce damage to the genetic material of human leukocytes, phospholipase, coagulant and fibrinogenolytic activities, nor altered the electrophoretic migration profile of hyaluronidases in polyacrylamide gel. However, the extract induced in vitro hemolysis, in doses higher than 10 µg. Therefore, it is premature to recommend the use of this plant for therapeutic purposes regarding possible risks and benefits to human health and additional studies of toxicity, efficacy and safety are necessary, especially using in vivo assays.