Carpobrotus edulis Biosafety and Potency against Common Pancreatic Insufficiency Biomarkers

Abstract

Carpobrotus edulis, a succulent plant indigenous to Southern African climes, has been utilized in traditional ethnomedicine for a wide array of ailments, including bacterial infections, digestive disorders, and inflammatory disorders. Pancreatic insufficiency, characterized by impaired enzyme production and subsequent malabsorption, may benefit from therapies that address inflammation, oxidative stress, and infection. This study explores the pharmacologically active secondary metabolites, the pharmacological activities as well as the safety of hydro-ethanolic extracts from C. edulis plant parts to validate the traditional uses. Phytochemical screening was done using various classical techniques, Total phenolic content was evaluated using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Acute and sub-acute toxicity profiles were done using OECD guidelines. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using the egg albumin test with diclofenac as a standard and the antibacterial tests were evaluated using the agar well diffusion method. The metabolomics studies revealed the presence of numerous pharmacologically active metabolites The total phenolic content was high, at 279.7 mg GAE/g. Antibacterial analysis demonstrated a mean zone of inhibition of 18.7±1.5 mm at 100mg/ml, and estimated MIC values lie between 12.5 mg/ml and 25 mg/ml. The anti-inflammatory activity of the lyophilized leaf extract of C. edulis showed significant inhibition and was comparable to the standard. In acute toxicity assessments, no mortality or adverse physiological conditions were observed at doses up to 5000 mg/kg body weight. Sub-acute toxicity investigations showed no significant differences in weight gain, food and water consumption, and no histopathological changes were observed in major organs. However, hematology and biochemistry revealed statistically significant alterations, warranting further investigation. Based on the foregoing it is concluded that lyophilized Carpobrotus edulis at controlled doses presents a safe, efficacious alternative for the management of pancreatic inefficiency end points.