Chemical profile and toxicogenetic safety assessment of (yacon) organic extracts.

The interest in (yacon) has strongly resurfaced due to its multiple beneficial effects on human health. This study aimed at determining the toxicity and the chemical profile of an ethanol extract (EE) and a crude lactone mixture (CLM) of yacon leaves. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity tests were performed by the MTT assay and the alkaline version of the comet assay respectively The phytochemical analysis, performed by chromatographic and spectroscopy techniques, revealed the presence of nine sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) and two acyclic diterpene acids.

Toxicogenetic evaluation of Smallanthus sonchifolius (yacon) as a herbal medicine.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp. & Endl.) H.

The Role of Endothelin System in Renal Structure and Function during the Postnatal Development of the Rat Kidney.

Renal development in rodents, unlike in humans, continues during early postnatal period. We aimed to evaluate whether the pharmacological inhibition of Endothelin system during this period affects renal development, both at structural and functional level in male and female rats. Newborn rats were treated orally from postnatal day 1 to 20 with vehicle or bosentan (Actelion, 20 mg/kg/day), a dual endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA).