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| Author(s): |
Patrícia Franciscone Mendes
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) |
| Defense date: | 2014-07-02 |
| Examining board members: |
Isis Machado Hueza;
Helenice de Souza Spinosa;
Ana Cristina Tasaka
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| Advisor: | Isis Machado Hueza |
| Abstract | |
Uncaria tomentosa (U. tomentosa), commonly known as \"Cat\'s claw\", is a native medicinal plant from America, it is employed worldwide for its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. The consumption of this plant occurs not only in natura, but mainly as a phytotherapic, used indiscriminately by the population. Although many researchers revealed the therapeutic properties of U. tomentosa, few studies employing established protocols by international regulatory agencies for the evaluation of the possible toxic and immunotoxic effects of this herbal medicine. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to verify if the dry extract of U. tomentosa could promote toxic and/or immunotoxic effects in rats following 90 days of treatment. For this, forty male rats were orally treated with 15, 75 or 150mg/kg of dry extract of U. tomentosa, commercially available, containing levels of alkaloids according to those values recommended in the literature. At the end of experimental period, the rats were killed for the evaluation of the biochemistry, haematology, histopathology, status of the lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs, evaluation of innate, inflammatory and humoral immune responses, as well as a test to determine the delayed type hypersensitivity. The results revealed an increase in the levels of ALT in the animals treated with 75mg/kg and a reduction in the glycaemic levels of rats treated with 75 and 150mg/kg of U. tomentosa. However, only rats treated with the higher dose showed a slight centrilobular hepatic vacuolation; thus, ALT data alone are not suggestive of a hepatic adverse effect of U. tomentosa following long-term treatment. The reduction in blood glucose levels of the rats, could represent an important risk for diabetic humans, who are susceptible to the development of hypoglycaemia and who might use U. tomentosa for purposes other than anti-diabetes. In conclusion, these studies demonstrated that, while U. tomentosa has no immunotoxic effect, long-term U. tomentosa treatment at high doses can promote reduction in glycemic levels. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 12/09565-8 - Evaluation of the possible toxic and immunotoxic effects of Uncaria tomentosa in rats. |
| Grantee: | Patrícia Franciscone Mendes |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Master |