[Neurotoxic effect of aqueous extract of boldo (Peumus boldus) in an animal model].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the neurotoxic effect of the aqueous extract of boldo (Peumus boldus) in an experimental model.


METHODS
20 male Holtzman rats of 250 ± 15 g were randomized into four groups: the negative control received saline solution (SS) orally (PO), the positive control received 6-hydroxydopamine intracranially (IC) and SS by PO. Experimental group 1 received aqueous extract of boldo (AEB) by PO, and experimental group 2 received 6-hydroxydopamine intracranially and AEB by PO. The experiment lasted 21 days. A neurological assessment was performed which had three components: a) clinical, evaluated with the rotarod test, b) biochemical, by measuring serum levels of uric acid, and c) histopathology, by immunohistochemistry for substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons. The Kruskal Wallis test and the Dunn test were used to assess differences between groups.


RESULTS
A significant decrease was found in the latency time of the rotarod test between the negative and positive control group (p<0.01), negative control and experimental 1 (p=0.09), negative control and experimental 2 (p<0.01), positive control and experimental 1 (p=0.04), and experimental 1 and 2 (p=0.09). There was no significant intergroup difference in the identification of uric acid. There was a depletion of the total dopaminergic neurons in the neuronal count, without intergroup difference.


CONCLUSIONS
A neurotoxic effect of aqueous extract of boldo was recognized at a clinical level in Holtzman male rats.
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
Jhon William
JW
Mejía-Dolores
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
Daniel Enrique
DE
Mendoza-Quispe
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
Edwin Luis
EL
Moreno-Rumay
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
Carlos Alejandro
CA
Gonzales-Medina
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
Fany
F
Remuzgo-Artezano
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
Luis Alexander
LA
Morales-Ipanaqué
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
Roberto Carlos
RC
Monje-Nolasco
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000209:etiology*; D031611:Peumus; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D010936:Plant Extracts