Pharmacotoxic evaluation of extracts of medicinal plants used in the treatment of obesity

Medicinal plants are rich sources of bioactive compounds with potential for therapeutic, cosmetic and food use, and many of them are consumed only based on popular use, without any scientific proof of their efficacy and safety. The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxic and pharmacological effects of aqueous extracts of the plant species Aloe vera (L.) Burm., Simaba ferruginea St. Hil., Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC, Garcinia cambogia Desr. and Tournefortia paniculata  Cham., popularly used as auxiliaries in the treatment of obesity, in order to obtain information on the safety of its use. The genotoxic, hemolytic, phospholipase, coagulant and fibrinogenolytic effects were evaluated. It was observed that, at concentrations of 125 and 250 µg/ml, the plant extracts showed no genotoxic, phospholipase, hemolytic (except for B. trimera), coagulant and fibrinogenolytic potential. Although no genotoxicity and erythrocyte or phospholipid lysis was observed, defining what is safe regarding the use of these extracts depending on the implementation of comprehensive preclinical and clinical characterizations.   Key words: Toxicity, obesity, medicinal plants.