title: Pharmacological effects and toxicity of Costus pulverulentus C. Presl (Costaceae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Costus pulverulentus C. Presl (Costaceae), a species endemic to Mexico, is used for the empirical treatment of cancer, pain, and inflammation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity, as well as the cytotoxic, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and sedative effects of an ethanol extract from Costus pulverulentus stem (CPE).
  
  
  METHODS
  The chemical characterization of CPE was performed by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The toxicity of CPE was evaluated using the comet assay (10-1000 µg/ml during 5h) and the acute toxicity test (500-5000 mg/kg p.o. and i.p. during 14 days). The cytotoxic effect of CPE (1-250 µg/ml) on human cancer cells was evaluated using the MTT assay. The antinociceptive effects of CPE (50-200mg/kg p.o.) were evaluated using thermal-induced nociception tests (hot plate and tail flick) and the chemical-induced nociceptive tests (acetic acid and formalin). The sedative activity of CPE (50-200mg/kg p.o.) was evaluated using the ketamine-induced sleeping time test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CPE showed the presence of compounds such as campesterol, stigmasterol β-sitosterol, vanillic acid, among others. In the comet assay, CPE at 200 µg/ml or higher concentrations induced DNA damage. In the acute toxicity test, the LD50 estimated for CPE was>5000 mg/kg p.o. or i.p. CEP showed moderate cytotoxic effects on prostate carcinoma cells PC-3 cells (IC50=179 ± 23.2 µg/ml). In the chemical-induced nociception models, CPE (100 and 200mg/kg p.o.) showed antinociceptive effects with similar activity to 100mg/kg naproxen. In the thermal-induced nociception tests, CPE tested at 200mg/kg showed moderate antinociceptive effects by 28% (hot plate test) and by 25% (tail flick test). In the ketamine-induced sleeping time test, CPE showed no sedative effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  C. pulverulents exerts moderate cytotoxic effects in human cancer cells, moderate anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects. C. pulverulentus induces antinociceptive effects without inducing sedation.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, México. Electronic address: angeljosabad@ugto.mx.
authors.forename: Angel Josabad
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Alonso-Castro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacia, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, México.
authors.forename: Juan Ramón
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Zapata-Morales
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México.
authors.forename: Marco Martin
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: González-Chávez
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria de la Zona Huasteca, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí, México. Electronic address: candy.carranza@uaslp.mx.
authors.forename: Candy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carranza-Álvarez
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria de la Zona Huasteca, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí, México; El colegio de la Frontera Sur unidad San Cristóbal, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, México.
authors.forename: Diego Manuel
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hernández-Benavides
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria de la Zona Huasteca, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí, México.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernández-Morales
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D020552:Comet Assay; D029770:Costus; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D018547:Plant Stems
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005557:Formaldehyde; D007649:Ketamine; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: Antiinflammatory; Antinociceptive; Buprenorphine (PubChem CID: 644073); Cancer; Clonazepam (PubChem CID: 2802); Costus pulverulentus; Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; Ketamine (PubChem CID: 644025); Naproxen sodium (PubChem CID: 23681059); Toxicity; and cisplatin (PubChem CID: 441203)