Toxicologic evaluation of acute and subacute oral administration of Cucurbita maxima seed extracts to rats and swine

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 43; no. 1; p. 45
• Main Authors: de Queiroz-Neto, A, Mataqueiro, M I, Santana, A E, Alessi, A C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland 01-06-1994
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Blood Cell Count - drug effects; Blood Glucose - analysis; Blood Glucose - drug effects; Blood Proteins - analysis; Brazil; Creatinine - blood; Creatinine - urine; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Electrolytes - blood; Electrolytes - urine; Female; Heart - drug effects; Kidney - drug effects; Liver - drug effects; Lung - drug effects; Pancreas - drug effects; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - toxicity; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Seeds - chemistry; Spleen - drug effects; Swine; Urea - blood; Urea - urine; Uric Acid - blood; Uric Acid - urine; Brazil
• ISSN: 0378-8741
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-8741(94)90115-5

The extract prepared from dried seeds of Cucurbita maxima was administered to rats and pigs. Following a single dose or 4 weeks of daily oral administration, the extract produced no changes in serum glucose, urea, creatinine, total protein, uric acid, GOT, GPT, LDH or blood counts. Urine analysis (urea, uric acid, creatinine, total protein, Na and K), as well as histopathological investigation, showed no abnormalities. These results taken as a whole indicate that the seeds of C. maxima as used in Brazilian folk medicine are not toxic for rats and swine.