Evaluation of the Hepatoprotective Properties of Traditional Formulations Based on <i>Cochlospermum tinctorium</i> Used in Benin

Abstract

Hepatic diseases represent a public health problem. Among the approaches to their management is the use of traditional treatments based on the use of medicinal plants. In Benin, several recipes based on <i>Cochlospermum tinctorium</i> are used in the treatment of hepatitis without a real scientific basis. This study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects and acute oral toxicity of 10 of these recipes. The variables studied were the variety of <i>C. tinctorium</i> (wild form vs. cultivated form), the species associated with <i>C. tinctorium</i> (<i>Combretum micranthum</i> vs. <i>Chromolaena odorata</i>), and the proportion of <i>C. tinctorium</i> in the recipe (1; 4/5; 1/2). The hepatoprotective effect of these extracts at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/bw was evaluated in Wistar rats subjected to hepatotoxicity induction through the administration of 5 g/kg of paracetamol. Acute oral toxicity was assessed following the OECD 423 protocol. The results revealed an absence of acute oral toxicity for the 10 recipes. The hepatoprotective tests conducted indicated that the hepatoprotective effect of <i>C. tinctorium</i> is dose dependent. The wild variety of <i>C. tinctorium</i> had a better hepatoprotective effect than the cultivated one. The association with <i>C. micranthum</i> enhances the hepatoprotective effect of <i>C. tinctorium</i>, unlike that with <i>C. odorata</i>. This study emphasizes that the combination of <i>C. tinctorium</i> with <i>C. micranthum</i> in the treatment of hepatitis is scientifically justified and it exhibits a dose-dependent hepatoprotective effect.