Essential oil of Croton argyrophylloides: toxicological aspects and vasorelaxant activity in rats.

Abstract

Croton argyrophylloides Muell. Arg. is widely used in Brazilian folk medicine to treat diabetes and venereal diseases. This study examined the acute toxicity and cytotoxicity of the essential oil of C. argyrophylloides (EOCA). In addition, vascular effects of the EOCA have been examined. In mice, an oral acute toxicity test revealed that EOCA could be considered as a non toxic essential oil since it showed a very high LD50 (9.84 +/- 0.01 g/kg). In the brine shrimp (Artemia salina) cytotoxic assay, the LC50 value of EOCA was 275 [165-534] microg/mL. EOCA (1-1000 microg/mL) relaxed isolated endothelium-intact aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine with an IC50 value of 126.7 [89.8-163.7] microg/mL. In rat mesenteric bed preparations precontracted with phenylephrine, EOCA (1-300 microg/mL) also induced a reversible, vasodilator effect with an IC50 value of 46.0 [33.3-58.7] micro/mL. It is concluded that EOCA is a very interesting agent from the point of view of the possibility of therapeutic application. This is because, whilst showing a very small acute toxicity, EOCA also showed maximal efficacy as a vascular antispasmodic agent with a pharmacological potency similar to that of other Croton species essential oils.

• Authors: Aldair de França-Neto, Ana Carolina Cardoso-Teixeira, Thiago Coutinho Medeiros, Maria do Socorro Quinto-Farias, Celia Maria de Souza Sampaio, Andrelina Noronha Coelho-de-Souza, Saad Lahlou, José Henrique Leal-Cardoso
• Journal: Natural product communications (Nat Prod Commun) Vol. 7 Issue 10 Pg. 1397-400 (Oct 2012) ISSN: 1934-578X [Print] United States
• PMID: 23157021 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Oils, Volatile
• Plant Extracts
• Vasodilator Agents
• Croton Oil

Topics

• Animals
• Aorta, Thoracic (drug effects)
• Artemia
• Brazil
• Croton (chemistry)
• Croton Oil (chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity)
• Female
• Lethal Dose 50
• Male
• Mice
• Muscle Contraction (drug effects)
• Oils, Volatile (chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity)
• Plant Extracts (chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Splanchnic Circulation (drug effects)
• Vasodilator Agents (chemistry, pharmacology)