title: Mineral constituents and toxicological profile of Jateorhiza macrantha (Menispermaceae) aqueous extract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Jateorhiza macrantha is a medicinal plant used in popular medicine to treat several diseases, including cardiovascular disorders. To date, there is no documented report available on the toxicological profile of this medicinal plant.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was carried out to investigate the mineral content and the safety of the oral administration of the leaf aqueous extract of Jateorhiza macrantha in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence of Ca, Mg, K, Na, Cu, Mn, Fe and Zn in the extract was analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. In the acute toxicity study, Male and female Balb-C mice were administered single doses of 2.5 and 5 g/kg of body weight by gavage, and were monitored for 7 days. In the subacute toxicity study, the extract was administered by gavage at doses of 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight daily for 6 weeks to mice (8 mice/dose/sex). After this period of treatment, 5 mice per sex and per group were sacrificed. The rest of animals per group were observed without any treatment for 2 weeks. After the treatments, some biochemical and hematological parameters were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings indicate the presence of all mineral elements tested. Acute study indicates no signs of toxicity at the doses used. The LD50 value is >5.00 g/kg body weight, since there was no death registered at that dose. In subacute study, hematological and biochemical parameters showed a significant decrease in platelet and significant increases in ALT and AST in both sexes and creatinin levels only in male suggesting that some compounds of the plant extract were responsible of disturbances of hematopoiesis, liver and kidney functions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that Jateorhiza macrantha acute toxicity towards animals is very low. However, in subacute administration, this extract induces slight injuries on hematopoiesis, liver and kidney functions, suggesting its use with caution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, Laboratory of Animal Physiology, University of Yaounde I, PO Box 812 Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Bibi-Farouck Aboubakar
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Oumarou
authors.forename: Linda Martiale
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Tchuemdem
authors.forename: Paul Désiré Dzeufiet
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Djomeni
authors.forename: Danielle Claude
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Bilanda
authors.forename: Esther Ngo Lemba
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Tom
authors.forename: Martin Thierry Bella
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ndzana
authors.forename: Dimo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Théophile
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002163:Cameroon; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005260:Female; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D029583:Menispermaceae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008903:Minerals / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D059551:Toxicity Tests, Subacute
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D008903:Minerals; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Acute and subacute toxicity; Jateorhiza macrantha; Medicinal plant extract; Menispermaceae; Mineral content