Original Article

Pharmacological and Toxicological Effects of Gas Plant (Dictamnus Albus L.)

  • Rana BEIS
  • Yusuf ÖZTÜRK
  • Süleyman AYDIN
  • Firdevs GÜRER

Turk J Pharm Sci 2005;2(3):111-124

Abstract Purpose of the present study was to investigate pharmacological and toxicological effects of gas plant. Aqueous extracts prepared from its leaves and fruits were tested on the guinea-pig skin by comparing with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene. When histopathological examination was made on guinea-pig skin injected with the extracts, there was no change observed in mast cells, but acute exudative inflammation and infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes were noticed in the hypodermis. Their edema forming activities were also tested in the rat paw experiment and their effects were compared to those induced by formalin. In vivo bronchial tone/blood pressure and isolated ileum experiments in guinea-pigs were performed. Aqueous extracts prepared from this plant were found to cause bronchoconstriction and hypotension, which were not dose-dependent. They also elicited concentration-dependent contractions of the isolated guinea-pig ileum, which were not abolished by chlorpheniramine, ketotifen and dexamethasone. D. albus extracts had no significant effect on the mouse pain threshold in “Tail-clip” experiments. Their effects on the central nervous system were examined by using swimming endurance test and observational screening on mice. In this case, a sedative activity was observed. It was concluded that aqueous macerates from leaves and fruits of D. albus causes an acute phase inflammatory response. Özet Bu çalismanin amaci Akgiritotu’nun farmakolojik ve toksikolojik etkilerini arastirmaktir. Yaprak ve meyvalarindan hazirlanan sulu ekstreler kobay derisi üzerinde 2,4-dinitrobenzen ile karsilastirmali olarak test edilmistir. Ekstrelerin injekte edildigi kobay derisi üzerinde histopatolojik inceleme yapildiginda mast hücrelerinde herhangi bir degisim gözlenmemis, ancak hipodermiste eksudatif inflamasyon ve polimorfonükleer lökosit infiltrasyonu dikkat çekmistir. Ayrica ödem olusturucu etkinlikleri siçan pençe deneyinde de test edilmis ve sözkonusu etkiler formalin ile olusturulan etkiler ile karsilastirilmistir. Kobaylarda in vivo bronsiyal tonüs/kan basinci ve izole ileum deneyleri gerçeklestirilmistir. Sözkonusu bu bitkiden hazirlanan sulu ekstrelerin doza bagimli olmayan bronkokonstriksiyon ve hipotansiyona neden oldugu bulunmustur. Ekstreler izole kobay ileumunda klorpromazin, ketotifen ve deksametazon ile önlenemeyen ve konsantrasyona bagimli olan kasilmalar olusturmuslardir. D. albus ekstrelerinin farelerde “Tail-Clip” deneylerinde agri esigi üzerinde anlamli bir etkisi olmamistir. Ekstrelerin santral sinir sistemi üzerideki etkileri farelerde yüzme dayaniklilik testi ve gözlemsel tarama yardimi ile sinanmistir. Burada sedatif etki gözlenmistir. D. albus’tan hazirlanan sulu ekstrelerin akut fazli inflamatuvar bir yanita neden oldugu sonucuna varilmistir.

Keywords: Gas plant; Dictamnus albus L.; histamine; edema; skin test; sedative effect