Acute and repeated doses (28 days) oral toxicity study of Vicenin-1, a flavonoid glycoside isolated from fenugreek seeds in laboratory mice

Abstract

Vicenin-1 (fenugreek glycoside) has been proven to possess potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity. The objective of the present investigation was to determine in-vivo acute and subacute (28-days repeated dose) oral toxicity of Vicenin-1 isolated from fenugreek seed. Vicenin-1 (93%) was isolated from a hydroalcoholic extract of fenugreek seed and characterized using HPLC, TLC, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR. Acute oral toxicity (AOT) and subacute toxicity studies of Vicenin-1 were carried out according to OECD 425 (up-and-down procedure) and OCED 407 guidelines in Swiss albino mice. In AOT, Vicenin-1 showed 10% mortality when administered at a dose of 5000 mg/kg. However, when vicenin-1 was administered for at doses of 37.5, 75, or 150 mg/kg 28-days it did not show any mortality at the administered doses. Vicenin-1 (75 mg/kg) did not show observational, behavioral, biochemical or histopathological toxic effects. There were minor alterations in body weight, hematology, and histopathology of mice administered with Vicenin-1 (150 mg/kg), but these changes were within normal laboratory ranges. The highest concentration of Venicin-1 was found in liver (3.46%) followed by lung (0.65%). In conclusion, Vicenin-1 showed median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 4837.5 mg/kg with no-observed-adverse-effect levels (NOAEL) at 75 mg/kg and lowest adverse effect levels (LOAEL) at 150 mg/kg for both sexes of mice during AOT and sub-acute toxicity study, respectively.

Keywords: Acute toxicity test; Flavonol glycoside; LD(50); Lowest adverse effect levels; No-observed-adverse-effect levels; Subacute toxicity tests; Vicenin-1.