Abstract
Context: The leaves of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (Fabaceae) have diverse bioactivities, but little safety data are reported. Objective: This study examines the toxicological profiles of C. cajan leaf extracts. Materials and methods: The leaves were extracted by water or 90% ethanol to obtain water or ethanol extract (WEC or EEC). EEC was suspended in water and successively fractionated into dichloroform and n-butanol extracts (DEC and BEC). Marker compounds of the extracts were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Kunming mice were administered with a single maximum acceptable oral dose (15.0 g/kg for WEC, EEC and BEC and 11.3 g/kg for DEC) to determine death rate or maximal tolerated doses (MTDs). In sub-chronic toxicity investigation, Sprague–Dawley rats were orally given WEC or EEC at 1.5, 3.0 or 6.0 g/kg doses for four weeks and observed for two weeks after dosing to determine toxicological symptoms, histopathology, biochemistry and haematology. Results: Flavonoids and stilbenes in the extracts were assayed. In acute toxicity test, no mortality and noted alterations in weight and behavioural abnormality were observed, and the maximum oral doses were estimated as MTDs. In sub-chronic toxicity study, no mortality and significant variances in haematological and biochemical parameters or organ histopathology were observed, but increased kidney weight in 3.0 g/kg WEC- or 3.0 and 6.0 g/kg EEC-treated female rats, and reduced testes and epididymis weight in EEC-treated male rats were recorded. These changes returned to the level of control after recovery period. Conclusion: Acute and sub-chronic toxicity of Cajanus cajan leaf extracts was not observed.
Highlights
Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (Fabaceae) is a perennial shrub distributed in the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa and the Americas, and known as pigeon pea
Animal weight gains after water extract of CCL (WEC), ethanol extract of CCL (EEC) and BEC treatment were consistent with controls (61–64%) and $10% greater than animals treated with dichloromethane fraction (DEC) (Figure 1(A) and Table 1)
DEC-treated animals on days 5 and 7 had a transient decrease in body weight (p < 0.05 vs. control group) (Figure 1(A)), and no other alterations were noted in all groups
Summary
Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (Fabaceae) is a perennial shrub distributed in the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa and the Americas, and known as pigeon pea. In China, C. cajan leaves are used as a folk medicine to relieve swelling and pain, kill parasites and treat varicella (Guangdong Food and Drug Administration 2004; Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine 2012). An extract of C. cajan leaf with therapeutic effect on aseptic necrosis of the femoral head has been developed as a pharmaceutical (Yuan et al 2005; China Food and Drug Administration 2007). Little information in toxicity and safety evaluation on pharmacologically active extracts from C. cajan is reported. We address this deficit by describing data from animal models treated with C. cajan leaf extracts
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