Acute Toxicity and Antipyretic Activities of a Methanolic Extract of Alchornea cordifolia Leaves 5
the neuronal network of thermoregulation. The hypothala-
mus regulated the set point at which body temperature is
maintained. Hyperthermia inhibition observed in the pre-
sent work varies from 89% to 160%. Evolution of hyper-
thermia inhibition due to Alchornea cordifolia at 812.5
mg/kg during four hour was similar to paracetamol (100
mg/kg p.o.) with a pick at two hours (Figure 2). The
mechanism of the induced hyperthermia by brewer’s
yeast is mediated by prostaglandins biosynthesis [16,17].
Brewer’s yeast administrated through subcutaneous route,
behaves lik e an exogenous pyrogen. Thu s, it produces an
inflammatory process that according to Milton et al. [18]
and Aronoff et al. [19], leads to the biosynthesis of
chemical mediators as prostaglandins due to arachidonic
acid. Among prostaglandins, PGE2 is strongly involved
in the disturbance of the hypothalamic thermostat and so
is responsable for fever [18,19]. Thus, the antipyretic
activity of Alchornea cordifolia observed in this study
would be related to the inhibition of the production of
prostaglandins. Apart from their involvement in fever,
prostaglandins are also known for their vasodilatation
effect that generates red blotch and oedema as inflamma-
tion characteristics. Thus the hypothesis about the inhibi-
tion of the production of prostaglandins by Alchornea
cordifolia could be uphold with the works by Osabede
and Okoye [8] as well as those by Mavar-Manga et al. [7]
highlighting the protecting effect of Alchornea cordifolia
against oedema, the inflamemation model induced in
rodent.
These antipyretic property lay in the saponins contain
in Alchornea cordifolia leaves [5,9] that, according to
Gepdiremen et al. [20] are strong prostaglandin inhibi-
tors.
5. Conclusion
This antipyretic activity that is similar to paracetamol
one could partly justify the traditional use of Alchornea
cordifolia leaves against fever in the African societies.
Considering the partially reversible hypothermic effect in
a 4-hour observation time, we plan a more elaborate
study on the neurotoxicity of that plant.
6. Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to Pr. L. Aké-Assi (Centre Na-
tional de Floristique d’Abidjan) for botanical identifica-
tion.
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