Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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TOXICITY AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF ZIZIPHUS JUJUBA MILL. LEAVES

MARILENA-VIORICA HOVANEŢ1, ROBERT VIOREL ANCUCEANU1*, MIHAELA DINU1, ELIZA OPREA2, EMMA ADRIANA BUDURA3, SIMONA NEGREŞ4, BRUNO ŞTEFAN VELESCU4, LIGIA ELENA DUŢU5, IULIANA ADRIANA ANGHEL1, IRINA ANCU6, ELENA MOROŞAN7, OANA CRISTINA ŞEREMET4

1.Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Carol Davila”, 6 Traian Vuia Street, Bucharest, Romania
2.Department of Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Catalysis, University of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemistry, 4-12 Regina Elisabeta Boulevard, Bucharest, Romania
3.Department of Pharmaceutical Technology Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Carol Davila”, 6 Traian Vuia Street, Bucharest, Romania
4.Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Carol Davila”, 6 Traian Vuia Street, Bucharest, Romania
5.Department of Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and Phytotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Carol Davila”, 6 Traian Vuia Street, Bucharest, Romania
6.Research Institute for Fruit Growing, Rilomania, OP 1, CP 73, Argeș County, Romania
7.Department of Clinical Laboratory and Food Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Carol Davila”, 6 Traian Vuia Street, Bucharest, Romania

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A dried ethanolic extract, obtained from Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (Rhamnaceae) leaves, was tested in order to evaluate the effects on plant cell division, its acute oral toxicity and anti-inflammatory properties. Two inflammation experimental models on rats, with carrageenan and kaolin as inflammatory agents, were used. The experimental group was treated by gavage for 7 days with 5 % aqueous suspension of the extract (500 mg/kg b.w.) and the control group with 1 mL/100 g b.w. distilled water. The reference group, in the 7th day, was treated with 0.1 % indomethacin solution (10 mg/kg b.w.). No toxic symptoms or mortality were observed in any animals. In both inflammation models a very weak anti-inflammatory effect was detected, a little better in the kaolin model but generally inferior to indomethacin. A statistically significant inhibitory effect on the growth of Triticum radicles was observed at 0.5% and 1% concentrations, accompanied by microscopic signs of cytotoxicity.