Research Article | Open Access

Volume 2019 |Article ID 7478152

Ma G. E. González-Yáñez,¹ Catalina Rivas-Morales,¹ María A. Oranday-Cárdenas,¹ María J. Verde-Star,¹ María A. Núñez-González,¹ Eduardo Sanchez,¹ and Catalina Leos-Rivas¹

¹Universidad ‬Autónoma ‬de ‬Nuevo ‬León‬, Facultad ‬de ‬Ciencias ‬Biológicas. Av. ‬Universidad ‬s/n ‬Col. ‬Cd. Universitaria, CP 66455, San Nicolás de Los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico.

Academic Editor: Chang G. Son

• Published26 Dec 2019

Abstract

There is a trend to use medicinal plants for primary medical care or as dietary supplements; however, the safety of many of these plants has not been studied. The objective of this work was to determine the toxic effect of the aqueous extract of Calea ternifolia (C. zacatechichi), known popularly as “dream herb” in vivo and in vitro in order to validate its safety. In vivo, the extract had moderate toxicity on A. salina. In vitro, the extract induced eryptosis of 73% at a concentration of 100 μg·mL⁻¹ and it inhibited CYP3A by 99% at a concentration of 375 μg/mL. After administering 8.5 mg/kg of C. ternifolia to rats, we found a reduction in platelets and leukocytes and an increase in urea and the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Histological analysis showed spongiform changes in the proximal tubules of renal tissue and a lymphoid infiltrate in liver tissue. This plant is used in the treatment of diabetes, and it is commercialized as a dietary supplement in several countries. Our results show renal and hepatic toxicity; therefore, more profound research on the toxicity of this plant is needed.

1. Introduction

Because of the current tendency to adopt a more “natural” lifestyle, there is currently great interest in herbal medicine, a medical system that searches for efficient and mildly or nontoxic therapeutic options. Medicinal plants have been used as a cultural inheritance in traditional medicine, but they require scientific validation [1], because they contain active substances that have biological activity and toxicity [2].

Calea ternifolia (syn. C. zacatechichi) (Astereaceae) is a plant native to Mexico and Central America, where it has a long tradition in indigenous culture [3]. It is also called the “dream herb” because it temporarily intensifies the clarity of dreams and significantly influences the central nervous system. For this, C. ternifolia is used in several countries, although it was placed on the prohibited plant list in Poland in 2013 [4]. A more recent study of the neuropharmacological action of the aqueous extract of C. zacatechichi indicates that it has insignificant neuropharmacological effects and also reduces the abdominal pain perception [5]. It is also traditionally used for the treatment of endocrine and gastrointestinal problems [6]. The plant is sold online as a dietary supplement for the treatment of diabetes due to its ability to cause hypoglycemia [7]. Although its mechanism of action is unknown, this activity can be due to compounds that have been isolated from the plant, such as flavonoids [8] and sesquiterpene lactones [9], which have some toxicity. Flavonoids cause deformation, osmotic fragility, and aggregation of erythrocytes [10]. Other flavonoids such as epigallocatechin produce toxicity in rat embryos [11], and quercetin, in addition to being able to capture free radicals and act as an antioxidant, can also carry out pro-oxidant reactions, exerting cytotoxic effects on cells and tissues [12]. The objective of this work was to determine the toxic effect in vivo and in vitro of the aqueous extract of Calea ternifolia (C. zacatechichi), known popularly as “dream herb”. Although in this work several of the chemical components of C. ternifolia were identified, we only evaluated and demonstrated the toxicity of the complete aqueous extract.

References:

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2019/7478152/