Abstract:
Study on safety and effect of Vernonia cinerea Less water extract by simmer of each part from leaves, flowers, stems and mixed onto nervous system in animals for smoking cessation were investigated in this study. The extract from all parts was no acute toxicity (LD50 > 2,000 mg/kg b.w.) in rats from both oral and dermal routes, including no skin irritation in rabbits (OECD no. 420, 402 and 404). Each water extract at dose of 2,000 mg/kg b.w. exhibited no effect to chromosome break and % mitotic index change in rats (OECD no. 475). The percentage of Bhas 42 cell growth was increase whereas no percentage of foci increment was found after 3 day of each extract ratio (1:8, 1:16, 1:32 and 1:64) exposure using cell transformation assay. Moreover, cytotoxic effect (IC50) of water extract from leaves, flowers, stems and mixed to L929 cell line were 1.05 ± 0.20, 0.4 ± 0.02, 0.93 ± 0.17 and 0.95 ± 0.11 mg/ml, respectively. After each extract (10 gm/kg b.w.) orally for 21 consecutive days, plasma dopamine level in rats showed higher than control but not bupropion (150 mg/kg). Additionally, leaves and flower extracts could increase locomotor activation in mice similar to that of bupropion and nicotine. In conclusion, all parts of Vernonia cinerea water extract by simmer showed no acute oral and dermal toxic, no skin irritation, and no mutagenic and carcinogenic effects but it might be cytotoxic at high dose. However, the results indicated that extract from leaves and flowers contain nicotine that could affect central nervous system and are capable to further developing for smoking cessation products.
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