Abstract
Background Hippocratea celastroides Kunth, commonly known as “cancerina”, is used in Mexican Traditional Medicine for the treatment of gastric and intestinal infections, systemic and skin inflammation, injuries and gastritis. The aim of this research was to assess the anti-Helicobacter pylori activities of hydro-ethanolic root-bark extracts from Hippocratea celastroides Kunth in naturally infected dogs, after testing their acute and subacute toxicities in mice.MethodsTo determine in vivo acute toxicity, a hydro-ethanolic extract was obtained and administered orally in female and male Balb-C mice, at doses ranging from 2000 to 5000 mg/kg. For the subacute study, a hydro-ethanolic extract was given to male and female Balb-C mice at doses ranging from 200 to 2000 mg/kg body weight. The animals were observed daily over a period of 42 days for signs of toxicity. In the pre-clinical anti-Helicobacter spp. assay, 60 dogs were included. Eighteen and 19 dogs for the experimental and control groups respectively, concluded the study. The experimental treatment consisted of H. celastroides hydro-ethanolic extract and the control treatment of amoxicillin-clarithromycin-omeprazole.ResultsOral LD50 (lethal dose 50) values for hydro-ethanolic extract were indeterminable at the highest tested doses. Under the subacute administration, neither mortality nor any sign of toxicity were observed when the hydro-ethanolic extract was administered. There were no significant alterations in biochemical parameters. The prevalence of Helicobacter spp. infection in dogs was 97.1 % for the experimental group and 100 % for the control group. Effectiveness was of 33.3 and 55 % in the experimental and control group respectively. The oral administration of H. celastroides was well-tolerated and safe.ConclusionThe root-bark of H. celastroides produced no signs of toxicity, and manifested pharmacological activity that indicated the possibility of an alternative treatment for H. pylori infection. Effectiveness is still low so it is necessary to continue research.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1412-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Hippocratea celastroides Kunth, commonly known as “cancerina”, is used in Mexican Traditional Medicine for the treatment of gastric and intestinal infections, systemic and skin inflammation, injuries and gastritis
In the toxicity assays, the oral Median lethal dose (LD50) values for hydroethanolic extract were not determined as none of the rodents exhibited any toxicological symptoms such as diarrhea, skin changes, alterations in respiration, motility, and behavioral patterns, convulsions or death for up to the highest assayed dose (5000 mg/kg)
LD50 values higher than 5000 mg/kg are considered non-toxic according to the Globally harmonized system (GHS) (Globally Harmonized System)
Summary
Hippocratea celastroides Kunth, commonly known as “cancerina”, is used in Mexican Traditional Medicine for the treatment of gastric and intestinal infections, systemic and skin inflammation, injuries and gastritis. The aim of this research was to assess the anti-Helicobacter pylori activities of hydro-ethanolic root-bark extracts from Hippocratea celastroides Kunth in naturally infected dogs, after testing their acute and subacute toxicities in mice. Hippocratea celastroides Kunth, a shrub-like vine that is widely distributed throughout Mexico, grows in tropical deciduous forests [1]. In the state of Morelos, the infusion is used for the treatment of gynecological conditions, and topically for cuts and bruises, whereas the baked rootbark is used to treat topical and internal inflammation, as well as infections, injuries and gastritis [3, 7]. Celastroidine A inhibited the feeding of the insect 88.7 % with a mortality increase of 2 %, whereas B showed 9.6 % anti-feeding inhibition with a mortality of 5.2 % [2]
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