Toxicological and pharmacological profiling of organically and non-organically cultivated Cymbopogon citratus

BACKGROUND: With the rapid depletion of forests, impairing the availability of raw drugs, Ayurveda, has reached a very critical phase. Consequently, cultivation of medicinal plants is essential to ensure their availability to the industry. In view of the above concept, organic farming of medicinal plants needs scientific validity. OBJECTIVES: The present study includes the organic and non-organic cultivation of Cymbopogon citratus, followed by toxicological and pharmacological profiling of extracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: C. citratus was simultaneously cultivated organically (OCC) and non-organically (NCC). Toxicity profile of aqueous extracts was recorded on prokaryotes using bioluminescent bacteria, Vibrio harveyi and evaluated its type 2 anti-diabetic activity. RESULTS: OCC have shown the higher mean values of height, number of germplasms and root lengths compared to NCC. The higher level of toxicity was shown by NCC with decrease in bioluminescence with increasing concentration of extract. In acute type 2 anti-diabetic study, OCC showed prominent decrease in blood glucose at postprandial condition (6th h) (48.86% OCC-200). The order of sub-chronic anti-diabetic activity was observed as positive control > OCC-200 > NCC-200, while OCC at 200 mg/kg corrected the altered lipid profile and antioxidant status with significant increase in body weights of animals. Histopathological examination of pancreas showed the enlargement of pancreatic islets and formation of neo islets with degenerative changes in OCC treated animals. CONCLUSION: The study confirms that organically grown C. citratus is better in terms of nourishment, biological activity and safety measures.