Toxological evaluation of Cyperus compressus Linn., a traditionally used anthelmintic plant in India
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Toxological evaluation of Cyperus compressus Linn., a traditionally used anthelmintic plant in India Amar Deep Soren1 · Arun Kumar Yadav1 · Errini Decruse Dhar1 Received: 25 August 2019 / Accepted: 7 November 2019 © Institute of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University 2019
Abstract This study reports the toxicological evaluation findings of Cyperus compressus Linn., (Cyperaceae), whose root decoction is used in India to treat the intestinal helminthic infestations. The acute oral toxicity (AOT) of C. compressus root extract (CRE) was conducted in Swiss mice, following OECD guidelines 407. The sub-acute toxicity study of CRE was undertaken in Wistar rats, using three doses viz., 175, 350 and 700 mg/kg, involving haematological, biochemical and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) parameters. AOT study revealed the median lethal dose of CRE to be above 2000 mg/kg. The sub-acute study of CRE revealed elevated levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase in male rats, only in high extract-treated group, but the serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase was found to be elevated both in male and female animals. TEM studies of kidney and liver of animals also revealed considerable deformities in the nucleus and mitochondria in the form of damages to nuclear membrane, cristae and to double layered membrane of mitochondria, only in the high-extract treated group of animals. The root decoction of C. compressus show presence of toxicity in the highest dose tested animals. Therefore, the use of this plant extract against intestinal helminthiasis raises concerns about its safety. Keywords Cyperus compressus · Anthelmintic · Helminthiasis · Acute toxicity · Sub-acute toxicity
Introduction The use of plants as medicines has a long history in the treatment of common diseases. However, some studies have also indicated that not all medicinal plants are safe and therapeutic use of some plants may result in adverse effects to their users (Wink 2010). Professional doctors are hesitant to recommend their patients the use of herbal medicines due to lack to evaluation on the safety profile of these products (Ududua et al. 2019). The strong dependence on plants as medicines demands a systematic study of their efficacy and safety issues (Farnsworth 1994). In India, traditional medicines are considered safe and the need for non-clinical and clinical studies are less rigorous and seem unnecessary (Verma 2013). Several plant products and/or constituents with a long history of folk usage have shown evidences of toxicity, such as damages to kidneys, liver, etc. to their users (Ilic et al. 2010; Li et al. 2010). * Arun Kumar Yadav [email protected] 1
Department of Zoology, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong 793022, India
Cyperus compressus is a grass-like plant and is widely distributed across the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world (Beentje and Lansdown 2018). In India, the powdered roots of C. compressus has long been used in traditional medicine by the Santhal tribes to treat the intestinal helmi
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