School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 6 Wangjing Zhonghuan Nan Road, Beijing 100102, China.
School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11 North Third Ring Road, Beijing 100029, China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2018 Apr 6;215:176-183. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.08.031. Epub 2017 Aug 25.
Arecae semen, the ripe seed of Areca catechu L., has been used as vermifuge and digestant in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, the potential toxicity effect of arecae semen has not been completely investigated.
The present study was aimed at evaluating the sub-chronic toxicity of arecae semen by oral administration in Wistar rats.
A total of 120 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (15 males and 15 females per group). The treated groups were given arecae semen aqueous extract (ASAE) at the dose of 750, 1500 and 4500mg/kg/day by oral administration respectively, and the control group was received distilled water only. The rats and their consumed feed were weighted every 3 days. The clinical changes and mortality were observed and recorded daily. Hematological parameters, biochemical parameters, organ weights, urinalysis and histopathological examination of all rats were tested at the end of the 30-day treatment period and another 10-day recovery period.
Deaths, weight loss, diarrhea, sluggish action, tremors and body curl up were observed in the 1500 and 4500mg/kg groups during the study. The relative organ weights of liver and testis in male rats of 4500mg/kg group were significantly different compared with the control group at the end of the treatment period. As for laboratory parameters, there were no significant differences at the dose of 1500 and 4500mg/kg groups compared with the control group in the study, except the white blood cell count (WBC), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), glucose (GLU) and total cholesterol (CHOL). In addition, the results of histopathological examination and feed intake showed no significant difference compared with the control group.
The results showed that ASAE at the dose of 750mg/kg/day was safe, but long-term oral administration of ASAE with high dosage was toxic. Moreover, the toxic ingredients of ASAE including arecoline, and also some other compounds should be researched.
槟榔的成熟种子，槟榔，已被用作驱虫剂和助消化剂在中国传统医学（TCM）。然而，槟榔的潜在毒性作用尚未完全研究。
本研究旨在通过口服评价槟榔的亚慢性毒性。
120 只 Wistar 大鼠随机分为 4 组（每组 15 只雄性和 15 只雌性）。处理组分别给予槟榔水提物（ASAE），剂量为 750、1500 和 4500mg/kg/天，对照组给予蒸馏水。每 3 天对大鼠及其消耗的饲料进行称重。每天观察并记录临床变化和死亡率。所有大鼠的血液学参数、生化参数、器官重量、尿液分析和组织病理学检查均在 30 天治疗期结束后和另一个 10 天恢复期进行。
在研究过程中，1500 和 4500mg/kg 组观察到死亡、体重减轻、腹泻、行动迟缓、震颤和身体卷曲。雄性大鼠的相对肝和睾丸重量在治疗期末与对照组有显著差异4500mg/kg 组。至于实验室参数，与对照组相比，1500 和 4500mg/kg 组的白细胞计数（WBC）、天冬氨酸转氨酶（AST）、丙氨酸转氨酶（ALT）、白蛋白（ALB）、血尿素氮（BUN）、肌酐（Cr）、葡萄糖（GLU）和总胆固醇（CHOL）无显著差异。此外，与对照组相比，组织病理学检查和饲料摄入量的结果无显著差异。
结果表明，ASAE 剂量为 750mg/kg/天是安全的，但长期口服高剂量的 ASAE 是有毒的。此外，ASAE 的有毒成分包括槟榔碱，以及其他一些化合物，应该进行研究。
