Schinus molle var. areira L.: consequences of subacute exposure to ethanolic extract from its fruits in mice

BRAS, C.; DOMÍNGUEZ, S.; MINETTI, A.; FERRERO, A.

Córdoba

Congreso; 1° Reunión Internacional de Ciencias Farmacéuticas; 2010

Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario

Introduction: Schinus molle var.areira (Anacardiaceae), whose vulgar names are aguaribay or molle, is a shrubby tree native of South America which exerts several biological effects such as: antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, diuretic, hypotensive, antitumoral, analgesic and anti-inflammatory (1). In our laboratory, abundant studies also indicated that this plant has repellent and insecticidal properties (2-3). This evidence suggests that this species could be very useful for the treatment of several pathologies and for some pest control, so we considered that it is necessary to investigate its safety. For this reason, the aim of the present work was to study the subacute oral exposure to ethanolic extract from fruits of Schinus molle var. areira in mice, by assessing its effects on the nervous system functionality and on hematological and biochemical parameters. Materials and Methods: The experiment was conduced according to the protocols described by OECD (4). The plant extract was incorporated into the diet and fed daily to a group of 8 CF1 female mice, 8 weeks old, over a period of 28 days at a dose of 1000 mg/kg body weight/day. Control group was fed only with the standard diet. All the animals were observed for signs of toxicity. At the end of the exposure, behavioral and functional parameters of the mice were evaluated through a functional observational battery (FOB), which included a thorough description of the animals? appearance, behavior, and functional integrity. Motor activity was assessed in an open field. Subsequently, blood samples were obtained for hematological analysis and for the determination of biochemical parameters like glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, urea and hepatic enzymes. Results: Evaluations of the FOB showed that female mice exposed to extract had an incremented activity in their home cages and in the experimental arena compared to control group (p