Toxicité aigue et subaigüe des alcaloïdes naturels et synthétiques des graines du Datura stramonium

Abstract

Datura stramonium L., of the local name Sikrane is an herbaceous annual plant of the solanaceae family. This plant contains tropane alkaloids mainly the atropine and scopolamine responsible for its toxicity. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of total alkaloids of Datura stramonium L. seeds has afforded a yield of 0.19 ± 0.03 % and revealed the existence of the majority alkaloids atropine and scopolamine. The acute toxicity study of total alkaloids of Datura stramonium L. seeds on female albinos Wistar rats treated with 120 mg/kg (≈1/3 DL50) by intraperitoneal injection did not show any sign of toxicity for the period of the study. A significant increase was recorded in the body weight of treated rats on the 5th day. The treated animals (sacrificed after 1 day) show a significant rise in the relative mass of liver, heart, brain and of the kidneys, and a positive evolution of the various organs except for the kidneys is observed in the treated animals (sacrificed after 5 days). The biochemical parameters of the evaluation of the renal function revealed a significant reduction in creatinine in the treated animals (sacrificed after 5 days), while those of the hepatic function showed a significant increase in the ASAT on the 1st day which is normalized on the 5th day. The hematologic parameters recorded a significant reduction in the number of RBC, the HCT and the HGB during the 5th day. The evaluation of the behavior of the animals treated with the hole-board test showed a significant reduction in the number of squares crossed on the 5th day and a significant rise in the toilet, in the treated animals (sacrificed after 1 day) which is normalized on the 5th day. The histological cuts of treated animals reveal the existence of tubular necrosis (1st day), glomerular atrophy and blood congestions (1st day and 5th day) in the kidneys, blood congestions in the liver and perivascular edema (1st day and 5th day) and some hearths necrosis (1st day) on the brain. The sub-acute toxicity study on the female albinos Wistar rats treated by the commercial alkaloids (10.5 mg/kg sulphate of atropine monohydrate and 5.2 mg/kg scopolamine hydrochloride) did not show any sign of toxicity during 28 days of observation. A significant increase was recorded only in creatinine at treated animals. The behavior of the treated group shows a significant rise in the number of toilet. The histological cuts reveal the existence of the glomerular atrophies in the kidney, blood congestions in the liver and cellular modifications on the brain.