Avaliação da segurança do extrato de erva-baleeira (Cordia verbenacea): estudos de toxicidade oral aguda e de doses repetidas em ratos wistar

Abstract

Since ancient times, plants have been the main method used in the search for the treatment and cure of different diseases. Thereby, folk medicine has been the principle for the development of medicines that help in the maintenance of public health. Among the species that have this potential is Cordia verbenacea, which is included in the Relação Nacional de Plantas Medicinais de Interesse ao Sistema Único de Saúde (RENISUS). Popularly known as Erva-baleeira and native to Brazil, this species is used as an anti-inflammatory and healing agent in folk medicine. However, the indiscriminate use of plant species can be harmful, and studies that prove the safety of Erva-baleeira are still scarce in the literature. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the possible toxic potential of Cordia verbenacea extract in an in vivo model, through acute and repeated dose toxicity tests. Test group females were treated with a single dose of 2000 mg/kg in the acute toxicity assay. In the repeated dose test, the extract was administered at doses of 300, 600 and 900 mg/kg for 28 days in both males and females. During the study, data such as body weight and consumption of water and food were collected, as well as blood, liver and kidney for further analysis. In both studies, no cases of morbidity or mortality were recorded. In acute toxicity, the extract was classified as safe (category 5) according to the protocol. In the repeated dose analysis, no changes were identified in any of the parameters analyzed in the organs and blood, as well as in body weights and consumption. The present study suggests that Erva-baleeira extract did not induce toxicity in either sex when administered orally in a single dose or in repeated doses, thus showing promise for future studies in pharmacology.