title: Increased acetylcholine esterase activity produced by the administration of an aqueous extract of the seed kernel of Thevetia peruviana and its role on acute and subchronic intoxication in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The real mechanism for Thevetia peruviana poisoning remains unclear. Cholinergic activity is important for cardiac function regulation, however, the effect of T. peruviana on cholinergic activity is not well-known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of the acute administration of an aqueous extract of the seed kernel of T. peruviana on the acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity in CD1 mice as well its implications in the sub-chronic toxicity of the extract.
  
  
  METHODS
  A dose of 100 mg/kg of the extract was administered to CD1 mice and after 7 days, serum was obtained for ceruloplasmin (CP) quantitation and liver function tests. Another group of mice received a 50 mg/kg dose of the extract 3 times within 1 h time interval and AChE activity was determined for those animals. Heart tissue histological preparation was obtained from a group of mice that received a daily 50 mg/kg dose of the extract by a 30-days period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CP levels for the treated group were higher than those for the control group (Student's t-test, P ≤ 0.001). AChE activity in the treated group was significantly higher than the control group (Tukey test, control vs. T. peruviana, P ≤ 0.001). Heart tissue histological preparations showed leukocyte infiltrates and necrotic areas, consistent with infarcts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased levels of AChE and the hearth tissue infiltrative lesions induced by the aqueous seed kernel extract of T. peruviana explains in part the poisoning caused by this plant, which can be related to an inflammatory process.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Investigación Experimental, División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Batalla de 5 de mayo s/n, Col. Ejército de Oriente, CP 09230, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marroquín-Segura
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Investigación Experimental, División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Batalla de 5 de mayo s/n, Col. Ejército de Oriente, CP 09230, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calvillo-Esparza
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Investigación Experimental, División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Batalla de 5 de mayo s/n, Col. Ejército de Oriente, CP 09230, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: José Luis Alfredo
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mora-Guevara
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Investigación Experimental, División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Batalla de 5 de mayo s/n, Col. Ejército de Oriente, CP 09230, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: José Horacio
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tovalín-Ahumada
authors.affiliation: Herbario de plantas medicinales, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. Av. Cuauhtemoc 330, Col. Doctores, CP 06725, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Contreras
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Investigación Experimental, División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Batalla de 5 de mayo s/n, Col. Ejército de Oriente, CP 09230, Mexico City, Mexico ; Laboratorio de Investigación Farmacéutica, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Batalla de 5 de mayo s/n, Col. Ejército de Oriente, CP 09230, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Vicente Jesús
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Hernández-Abad
keywords: Acetylcholine esterase; Thevetia peruviana; ceruloplasmin; yellow oleander toxicity