Pre-treatment of BALB/c mice with a centrally acting serotonin antagonist (cyproheptadine) reduces mortality from Boophone disticha poisoning.
Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.) January 1, 2013 M Mutseura, D Tagwireyi, L L Gadaga 7 citations
Pre-treatment with the serotonin antagonist cyproheptadine dose-dependently reduced mortality and toxicity from Boophone disticha poisoning in mice. Mortality dropped from 80% in untreated mice to 30% in groups given 15 or 20 mg/kg cyproheptadine, and median survival times increased significantly. The drug also lessened other toxic symptoms. These findings support the hypothesis that central nervous system serotonin overdrive underlies B. disticha toxicity, which is used in traditional Southern African medicine but can cause poisoning and death.