Acute and Chronic Toxicities of Pandanus Amaryllifolius Roxb. Water Extract from the Roots in Rats

Abstract

toxicity study, 50% of lethal dose (LD 50) after intraperitoneal injection of the water extract from the root of P. odoruswas 1.87 g/ kg in male and female rats and 1.62 g/kg in male and female mice. The LD 50 after oral administration was over 8 g/kg in both sexes of rat and mice [4]. However, the long term oral administration of the water extract from the root of P. amarylifolius has never been evaluated. The present study aimed to assess the adverse effects related to different doses in order to find the acceptable safety level of the water extract from the root of P. amarylifolius in rats by determining both oral acute and chronic toxicities in rat. Roots of P. amaryllifolius were washed in running water, then dried and ground to a powder. The extract was prepared as follows: the powder (1 kg) was suspended in distilled water (14 L) and the mixture was boiled for 3-4 hours followed by the filtration. The residue from the filtration was boiled and filtered again with the same procedure. The filtrates were collected and evaporated in a rotary evaporator. The weight and percentage yield of the crude extract were recorded. The P. amaryllifolius water extract was stored at 4-5 °C after preparation. Abstract Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb. is one of the most valuable herbs that has been used as a medicine for diabetes mellitus. The study of the acute toxicity of the plant extract was conducted in male and female rats by a single oral administration of the test substance at a dose of 5 g/kg body weight. The toxic sign, general behaviors, mortality, and microanatomical characteristics of internal organs were examined at the end of experiment. The results showed no sign of differences as compared to the normal control rat. Thus a single oral administration of 5 g/kg body weight does of P. amaryllifolius extract significantly cause no toxicity. For the chronic toxicity test, after an oral feeding both male and female rats daily with the extract 1, 2, 4 and 8 g/kg body weight for 180 days, toxic signs, animal behavior and health monitoring were then investigated. There were no abnormalities in the test groups as compared to the controls. Furthermore, the rats of the test and control groups on day 180 and the satellite group on day 208 were analyzed by measuring their final body and organ weights, taking necropsy, and examining hematology, blood clinical chemistry, and microanatomy. Results did not show any differences except an increase in the body weight of the treated male rats when compared with the control groups. These results combined with the information of signs, behavior and health monitoring can lead to a conclusion that an oral administration of P. amaryllifolius extract at the doses of 1, 2, 4 and 8 g/kg body weight for 180 days does not produce chronic toxicity.