Safety evaluation of Areca catechu L. extract powder in rats: acute and 180-day chronic toxicity test.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Commonly consumed as a food in daily life, binglang (Areca catechu L.) is recognized in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China for its anti-parasitic, digestive, and diuretic effects. Binglang extract powder (binglang tiqusan, BLTQS) is prepared from binglang through extraction, concentration, and drying processes.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To assess the acute and 180-day chronic toxicity of BLTQS following oral administration in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed for the analysis of arecoline in BLTQS. In the acute toxicity test, rats received a single oral dose of BLTQS at 15 g/kg body weight (bw). In the chronic toxicity test, rats were administered BLTQS at doses of 5, 15, or 30 g/kg feed for a duration of 180 days Toxicological effects were evaluated through observations of general behavior, body weight, food intake, water intake, drug intake, hematological and serum biochemical parameters, and histopathological analysis of organs.

RESULTS

HPLC effectively quantified arecoline in BLTQS (6.0 mg/g). The acute toxicity test revealed that the median lethal dose (LD) of BLTQS was >15 g/kg bw, confirming no systemic toxicity after oral administration. In the chronic toxicity test, BLTQS at 5 g/kg feed has no adverse effects, with no target organ toxicity observed. At higher doses (15 and 30 g/kg feed), no adverse effects on growth, food intake, or water intake were observed, although minor changes in hematological, serum biochemical, and histological parameters were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The acute toxicity test showed that the LD of BLTQS exceeded 15 g/kg bw. The no-observed-effect level (NOEL) for BLTQS in rats was calculated to be 0.32 g/kg bw. These findings support the safety of BLTQS for clinical use, provided that dosages adhere to clinically recommended guidelines.