Evaluation of the hepatotoxic and hepatoprotective effect of Rwandese herbal drugs on in vivo (guinea pigs barbiturate-induced sleeping time) and in vitro (rat precision-cut liver slices, PCLS) models

Antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activities of Rwandan medicinal plants used in the treatment of malaria

“…Although the plant has a good effect on Plasmodium falciparum, its cytotoxicity level is relatively high (IC 50 = 4.7 g/ml) and the selectivity index moderate (3.2). The cytotoxicity and hepatotoxicity of the plant is already described in the literature (Zirihi et al, 2005;Mukazayire et al, 2009). …”

Traditional phytotherapy remedies used in Southern Rwanda for the treatment of liver diseases

“…Using various in vivo and in vitro models, some of the plants used in Rwanda, or other species from the same genus, have been previously investigated against an hepatotoxicity induced (i) by CCl 4 in rats and/or mice (Hypoestes triflora, Acanthus ilicifolius, Solanum nigrum, Leucas hirta, Indigofera sp., Myrica rubra) (Van Puyvelde et al, 1989;Babu et al, 2001;Singh et al, 2001;Manjunatha et al, 2005;Shahjahan et al, 2005;Singh et al, 2006;Lin et al, 2008;Mukherjee et al, 2009;Xu et al, 2009); (ii) by CCl 4 and dgalactosamine in rats (Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum basilicum) (Lin et al, 1995); (iii) by CCl 4 and acetaminophen in rats and/or mice (Vernonia amygdalina, Carica papaya, Bidens pilosa) (Babalola et al, 2001;Rajkapoor et al, 2003;Iwalokun et al, 2006;Yuan et al, 2008); (iv) by acetaminophen and thioacetamide in rats (Hygrophila auriculata) (Singh and Handa, 1995;Shanmugasundaram and Venkataraman, 2006); (v) by CCl 4 , acetaminophen, ethanol, dgalactosamine, iron and Amanita phalloides in rats and mice (Silybum marianum) (Chih et al, 1996;Pradhan and Girish, 2006); and (vi) by CCl 4 and acetaminophen in guinea pigs and rats (Ocimum lamiifolium, Crassocephalum vitellinum, Guizotia scabra and Vernonia lasiopus) (Mukazayire et al, 2010). An antihepatitis C activity has also been demonstrated for Embelia schimperi that acts on the HCVProtease (Hussein et al, 2000).…”

“…When advocating herbal therapy for alternative management of diseases, the potential toxicity of proposed herbs should always be a concern (Jouad et al, 2001). For example, on an in vitro rat precision-cut liver slices model, three of the herbs frequently cited here (Guizotia scabra, Microglossa pyrifolia and Vernonia lasiopus) were found hepatotoxic (Mukazayire et al, 2010), warranting further safety investigation. The eventual use of these three herbs in traditional medicine should be quite cautious and ideally be accompanied by monitoring of the patient hepatic function.…”

“…Modern medicine is still quite limited in hepatic diseases prevention or treatment, apart from vaccines and interferon ␣-2b, used against some viral infections; the only drugs available are cholagogues, choleretics, and drugs for cholesterolic lithiasis, N-acetyl-cysteine and flavo-lignanes obtained from Silybum marianum (Evans, 2002). This limitation of therapeutic options gives considerable interest to the search for active compounds from plants traditionally used against liver diseases (Mukazayire et al, 2010;Jaeschke et al, 2011).…”

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“…Delonix elata is not a classical Ayurvedic drug [4], but found included in Shodala Nighantu under the Sanskrit name of Siddeshwara during 12century AD [5]. The medicinal value of tree is acknowledged by people living in the villages who take a decoction of the leaves and barks to get relief from rheumatic problems like pain and stiffness of the joints, especially affecting the knees [6,7].…”