Bajiaolian, one of the species in the Mayapple family ( Podophyllum pelatum ), has been widely used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for the remedies of snake bites, general weakness, poisons, condyloma accumi...Bajiaolian, one of the species in the Mayapple family ( Podophyllum pelatum ), has been widely used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for the remedies of snake bites, general weakness, poisons, condyloma accuminata, lymphadenopathy, and certain tumors in China. In Western medicine, Podophyllum was first used medically as a laxative in the early 19th century. Since 1940, the resin of podophyllum has also been used topically for various skin lesions, such as warts and condyloma. Human poisonings have been reported.An animal model was established to investigate the neurotoxic effects of Bajiaolian. Podophyllotoxin, the major active ingredient in Podophyllum, was injected (ip) to young adult male rats at doses of 0, 5, 10, or 15 mg-kg-1 b.w.. The animals were sacrificed 72 h after injection.Neuronal changes were readily observable in animals treated with 10 or 15 mg-kg-1 of the toxin. Edematous changes of the anterior horn motoneurons were observed in the spinal cord. No neuronal necrosis was found. The type of neuronal swelling is believed to be only a transient change and would probably subside with time if no further assaults occur. More serious and perhaps longer term of changes were found in the dorsal ganglion neurons and the nerve fibers (axons) in the central and peripheral nervous system. Severe depletion of the Nissl substance (RNA/polyribosomes) was observed in the dorsal root ganglion neurons. Alterations in these sensory neurons would give rise to and correlate with the sensory disturbances experienced by the patients. Bodian staining also revealed a dose-related increase in the coarseness (thickness) of the nerve fibers (axons) in the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord.This is the first scientific study showing the neurotoxicity of Bajiaolian, a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine. Toxicities on other organ systems by this drug certainly exist. Caution should be exercised in the dispensing and usage of this medicine.展开更多
Young male rats were orally intubated with podophyllotoxin: Group I, control animals, orally fed with vehicle only; Group Ⅱ, fed with an initial dose of 5 mg.kg-1 b.w., followed by a daily dose of 1.67 mg-kg-1 b.w. f...Young male rats were orally intubated with podophyllotoxin: Group I, control animals, orally fed with vehicle only; Group Ⅱ, fed with an initial dose of 5 mg.kg-1 b.w., followed by a daily dose of 1.67 mg-kg-1 b.w. for 7d. Group III, fed with an initial dose of 15 mg.kg-1 b.w., followed by a daily dose of 5 mg.kg-1 b.w. for 7d. All animals were sacrificed 72 h after the last dosing.Histopathological examination revealed dose-related fatty change of the liver, atrophy andi degenerative changes of the intestinal epithelial linings and testicular seminiferous tubules. Depletion of the pancreatic acinar cell granules was also apparent in the Group III animals. No pathology, however, was observed in the kidneys. The present study demonstrated for the first time degenerative changes in the liver, intestine, testis, and pancreas of animals ingested podophyllotoxin. These pathological changes correlate well with the clinical signs/symptoms of abnormal liver function, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and reduced serum amylase in humans poisonded by podophyllum. Inhibition of protein synthesis and mitosis (disruption of microtubules) are believed to be the underlying mechanisms of these changes observed in the animals intoxicated by. podophyllotoxin.展开更多
文摘Bajiaolian, one of the species in the Mayapple family ( Podophyllum pelatum ), has been widely used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine for the remedies of snake bites, general weakness, poisons, condyloma accuminata, lymphadenopathy, and certain tumors in China. In Western medicine, Podophyllum was first used medically as a laxative in the early 19th century. Since 1940, the resin of podophyllum has also been used topically for various skin lesions, such as warts and condyloma. Human poisonings have been reported.An animal model was established to investigate the neurotoxic effects of Bajiaolian. Podophyllotoxin, the major active ingredient in Podophyllum, was injected (ip) to young adult male rats at doses of 0, 5, 10, or 15 mg-kg-1 b.w.. The animals were sacrificed 72 h after injection.Neuronal changes were readily observable in animals treated with 10 or 15 mg-kg-1 of the toxin. Edematous changes of the anterior horn motoneurons were observed in the spinal cord. No neuronal necrosis was found. The type of neuronal swelling is believed to be only a transient change and would probably subside with time if no further assaults occur. More serious and perhaps longer term of changes were found in the dorsal ganglion neurons and the nerve fibers (axons) in the central and peripheral nervous system. Severe depletion of the Nissl substance (RNA/polyribosomes) was observed in the dorsal root ganglion neurons. Alterations in these sensory neurons would give rise to and correlate with the sensory disturbances experienced by the patients. Bodian staining also revealed a dose-related increase in the coarseness (thickness) of the nerve fibers (axons) in the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord.This is the first scientific study showing the neurotoxicity of Bajiaolian, a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine. Toxicities on other organ systems by this drug certainly exist. Caution should be exercised in the dispensing and usage of this medicine.
文摘Young male rats were orally intubated with podophyllotoxin: Group I, control animals, orally fed with vehicle only; Group Ⅱ, fed with an initial dose of 5 mg.kg-1 b.w., followed by a daily dose of 1.67 mg-kg-1 b.w. for 7d. Group III, fed with an initial dose of 15 mg.kg-1 b.w., followed by a daily dose of 5 mg.kg-1 b.w. for 7d. All animals were sacrificed 72 h after the last dosing.Histopathological examination revealed dose-related fatty change of the liver, atrophy andi degenerative changes of the intestinal epithelial linings and testicular seminiferous tubules. Depletion of the pancreatic acinar cell granules was also apparent in the Group III animals. No pathology, however, was observed in the kidneys. The present study demonstrated for the first time degenerative changes in the liver, intestine, testis, and pancreas of animals ingested podophyllotoxin. These pathological changes correlate well with the clinical signs/symptoms of abnormal liver function, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and reduced serum amylase in humans poisonded by podophyllum. Inhibition of protein synthesis and mitosis (disruption of microtubules) are believed to be the underlying mechanisms of these changes observed in the animals intoxicated by. podophyllotoxin.
