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Background: Several medicinal plants are used in the steep area of Algeria (Laghouat) for treatment of inflammation and diabetes. Furthermore, Hammada elegans Botsch. (Chenopodiaceae) a xerophytic plant popularly known as (Ajram) is widely spread perennial shrub in Laghouat region and it is traditionally used to treat inflammation and diabete. Then, the objective of this work is to study for the first time the in vivo anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and acute toxicity effects of acetonic, methanolic and aqueous Hammada elegans Botsch extracts. Methods: The acute toxicity test was performed according to the OECD method using single increasing doses (50–1500 mg/kg bw). The anti-inflammatory effect is investigated in Wistar rats by using the rat paw edema assay. The antidiabetic activity was evaluated in vivo using three tests: short-term test (in non-diabetic rats), starch-induced hyperglycemia test (in non-diabetic rats) and long-term alloxan test (experimental diabetes). Results: The acute toxicity results show no deaths in rats and no clinical signs of toxicity. The anti-inflammatory effects showed that all extracts significantly inhibit rat paw edema (EC50 less than 345.51 ± 0.29 mg/kg bw). Therefore, the acetonic extract (EC50 = 157.45 ± 0.33 mg/kg bw) had the more active anti-inflammatory activity than that of the standard inhibitor “Ibuprofen”. In addition, the evaluation of the antidiabetic activities by three tests shows that: in, in the short-term test, there was no important decrease in normal rats glucose rate, while in the starch-induced hyperglycemia test, the aqueous extract decreased significantly hyperglycemia (57.21 ± 1.24 mg AEAC / kg bw) compared to all tested extracts. While in the long-term test, the acetone extract significantly decreased hyperglycemia (9.18 ± 0.72 mg GEAC / kg bw) compared to all the tested extracts. Conclusions: Hammada elegans Botsch extracts seem to have therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of the inflammation and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of prolonged oral administration (21 days) of fumonisin B1 (FB1) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) were evaluated on male Wistar rats. The animals were housed in individual metabolic cages and submitted to the following treatments: 1-0 μg AFB1 + 0 mg FB1/100g bw.; 2-72 μg AFB1+ 0 mg FB1/100 g bw; 3-0 μg AFB1 + 0.5 mg FB1 g bw; 4-0 μg AFB1 + 1.5 mg FB1/100 g bw; 5-72 μg AFB1 + 0.5 mg FB1/100g bw; 6-72 μgAFB1 + 1.5 mg FB1/100g bw. On day 21, the rats were sacrificed for evaluation. The results showed that treated animals presented differences in body weight and absolute/relative weights of liver and kidney as well as altered hepatic function and cholesterol blood levels. Rats fed with the greatest doses of AFB1 and FB1 gained less weight (2.79 g/day) at the end of the experimental period; their blood concentrations of liver enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) were above control levels (130.35 μ/l and 471.00 μ/l, respectively). Blood cholesterol increased in the groups treated with the highest dose ofFB1 or FB1 associated with AFB1. Histopathology revealed the occurrence of apoptosis in the liver of rats exposed to FB1. The association of aflatoxin B1 with fumonisin B1 at higher dose probably potentiated the effects of the higher dose of fumonisin B1acting singly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]