Phytochemistry and toxicological assessment of Bryonia dioica roots used in north-African alternative medicine

Abstract

To investigate the phytochemical composition, acute and sub-acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of B. dioica roots. The phytochemical analysis was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of B.dioica roots was assessed in mice with single doses ranging from 250 to 1000 mg/kg for 14 days. The sub-acute toxicity was carried out with repeated doses ranging from 64.5 to 250 mg/kg for 28 days. Histopathological changes and markers of renal and liver function were investigated. The results of GC-MS analysis showed the presence of interesting phytoconstituents. The clinical symptoms and mortalities that occurred in treated mice were more remarkable due to the increasing sample concentration of the studied extract. However, no mortalities, or histopathological, or biochemical disturbances were observed even at the maximal dose administered (250 mg/kg). The outcome of the present work suggests that the treatment of animals with single doses of B. dioica roots extract higher than 250 mg/kg produces significant toxicities, however, treatment with repeated doses up to 250 mg/kg for 28 days seems to be safe for animals.

Keywords

• acute toxicity
• sub-acute toxicity
• histopathology
• biochemistry
• gc-ms