Toxicological evaluation of Cladophora glomerata Kützing and Microspora floccosa Thuret in albino rats.

This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of Cladophora glomerata and Microspora floccosa ethanolic extracts in rats. Acute toxicity was tested with a single oral administration of the extract at a dose of 25 g/kg bd wt. Mortality, behavior, amount of food intake, body weight, and any abnormalities of the visceral organs, were observed. The results showed that the extract caused neither mortality, nor abnormalities. Subchronic toxicity was tested by administering the extract at doses of 0.5 g/kg and 1.0 g/kg for 60 days. Differences in body weight, hematology and blood biochemistry (alanine aminotransferase, ALT; aspartate aminotransferase, AST; blood urea nitrogen, BUN and creatinine, Cre) were not detected among the control and treatment groups. Although the packed cell volume of the male rats treated with 1.0 g/kg extract was significantly lower than the controls (p< or =0.05), the level was in the standard range for rat hematocrit.

Safety evaluation of aqueous extracts from Aegle marmelos and Stevia rebaudiana on reproduction of female rats.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of a Thai medicinal plant, Aegle marmelos, and a non-caloric sweetener, Stevia rebaudiana, on the reproduction of female rats. Female rats were treated orally with aqueous extract of A. marmelos (6%) and S. rebaudiana at various concentrations (0, 0.2, 1, or 10%) for 60 days (1 ml/day) before mating. The control rats received only distilled water. At the end of the treatment period, treated females were mated with untreated males and the effects on reproduction were examined at day 14 of pregnancy. No notable abnormalities were observed in any of the pregnant rats. The number of corpus lutea, implanted and dead fetuses, as well as the sizes of the fetuses in the treated rats were not significantly different from those of the controls. Based on these results, it may be concluded that aqueous extracts of A. marmelos and S. rebaudiana at the concentrations used in this study do not alter the reproduction of female rats.

The toxicity of a crude enzyme extract from Gliomastix murorum in Swiss Albino mice.

A crude enzyme extract from a fungus, Gliomastix murorum, could be used in the synthesis of oligosaccharides that are essential to the food and drug industries. This extract may contaminate such products and lead to serious health problems. An investigation on the possible toxicity and mutagenic effect of the extract from this fungal isolate was carried out in Swiss Albino mice. One hundred and 50% of the crude enzyme extract were injected intraperitoneally into the mice every 2 days for 30 days. Normal saline (0.9%), cultivation medium, and cyclophosphamide (80 mg/kg body weight) were given to the control groups. The results indicated that the white blood cell count, serum creatinine, and uric acid of the treated mice were significantly higher than those of the controls (p<0.05), whereas the serum urea-N was lower. For the micronucleus test, mice treated with the extract, especially the group received 100% crude enzyme extract, showed a higher number of micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes, as compared to controls. Nevertheless, the micronucleus values were not as high as those found in mice treated with cyclophosphamide, the mutagenic agent. It can be concluded from the results that crude enzyme extract had minor toxic effects on various organ systems tested; more extensive investigation on the safe use of this extract is therefore necessary.