Effects of The Dried-Stem Powder of Cissus Quadrangularis on Hepatic Cytochrome P450, Clinical Blood Chemistry and Hematology in Rats

Abstract

Cissus quadrangularis Linn. is commonly used for hemorrhoidal treatment inThailand. In this study, effects of the dried-stem powder of C. quadrangularis on hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) of these following isoforms; CYP 1A1, CYP 1A2, CYP 2B1/2B2, CYP 2E1 and CYP 3A, involving in carcinogenic/mutagenic bioactivation were investigated in rats. Clinical blood chemistry and hematology were also determined. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups of 10 rats each.The control group received distilled water orally at 1 ml/kg/day whereas the others two groups were given the dried-stem powder orally at dosages of 0.03 and 0.3 g/kg/day for 30 consecutive days. During the experimental period, body weight, food and water intake were recorded every week. No difference of growth rate, food and water

consumption were shown in the C. quadrangularis-treated groups as compared to the control group. C. quadrangularis did not cause any significant changes of hepatic microsomal total CYP contents as well as the activities of CYP isoforms investigated in this study. Furthermore, clinical blood chemistry and hematology of rats were not affected. No effects of C. quadrangularis on these CYP isoforms excluded the possibilities of using this aspect to explain drug-drug interaction and possibilities of this plant to increase and/or decrease risks of toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity induced by xenobiotics which are bioactivated by these CYP isoforms. In addition, the dried-stem powder of C. quadrangularis at the doses given in this study did not produce any toxic effects on several important organs/systems such as liver, kidney, blood system, electrolyte as well as lipid and carbohydrate metabolism.