Effect of an extract of Aloe vera on the biodistribution of sodium pertechnetate (Na99mTcO4) in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Aloe vera is a tropical plant popularly known in Brazil as babosa. We have investigated the effect of aqueous extract of Aloe vera on the biodistribution of Na99mTcO4 and laboratorial parameters in Wistar rats.


METHODS
Twelve animals were divided into treated and control groups. In the treated group, Aloe vera was given by gavage (5mg/mL/day) during 10 days. The control group received sorbitol by the same way and period. One hour after the last dose, we injected 0.1mL of Na99mTcO4 by orbital plexus. After 60 min, all the animals were killed. Samples were harvested from the brain, liver, heart, muscle, pancreas, stomach, femur, kidneys, blood, testis and thyroid and the percentage of radioactivity (%ATI/g) was determined. Biochemical dosages were performed.


RESULTS
There was a significant increase of %ATI/g in blood, femur, kidneys, liver, stomach, testis and thyroid and also in blood levels of AST and ALT. A significant decrease in levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine and urea occurred. The statistical analyses were performed by Mann-Whitney test and T-Student test (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The aqueous extract of Aloe vera facilitated the uptake of Na99mTcO4 in organs of rats and it was responsible to a high increase of levels of AST and ALT.
Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, UFRN, Brazil. cechol@ufrnet.br
Cecília Maria de Carvalho Xavier
CM
Holanda
Monique Batista da
MB
Costa
Natália Chilinque Zambão da
NC
Silva
Maurício Ferreira da
MF
Silva
Vanessa Santos de Arruda
VS
Barbosa
Roseane Pereira da
RP
Silva
Aldo da Cunha
Ada C
Medeiros
D000504:Aloe / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D008297:Male; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m