A 90-day Sub-chronic Oral Toxicity Assessment of Mulberry Extract in Sprague Dawley Rats.

Mulberry extract from Fructus Mori contains an anthocyanin pigment and has been widely used as a food additive in China and other Eastern Asian countries. Only few research has been done on toxicological profiling of mulberry extract for its safety evaluation; however, the data is inconclusive. In the current study, mulberry extract of 4200, 1400, or 466 mg/kg were orally administrated to Sprague Dawley rats for 90 consecutive days followed by a recovery period of 28 days. No abnormalities were detected in body weights, food intake, ophthalmological, hematological, coagulation, clinical chemistry, and organ weights parameters. Discoloration of urine (red, purple, and brown) and feces (black), along with bedding material (purple) were observed in the 4200 mg/kg group. Further, microscopic examination revealed brown granules in the renal tubular cells for rats in 4200 and 1400 mg/kg groups. Since these changes were associated with excretory effect of the extract, the No Observed Adverse Effect Level was determined to be 4200 mg/kg, which was equivalent to the 1058.5 mg/kg of anthocyanin.

Safety reassessment of cinobufotalin injection: new findings into cardiotoxicity.

Cinobufotalin injection, a traditional Chinese medicine preparation, successfully used for several years, might induce cardiotoxicity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the cardiotoxicity of cinobufotalin injection and the cardiotoxicity-preventive effect of sodium phenytoin in vivo. According to the 4 × 4 Latin square design, four Beagle dogs were allocated into four dose levels of 0, 0.3, 1, and 3 g/kg in treatment phases I-IV (cinobufotalin injection) and 3 g/kg in treatment phase V (cardiotoxicity antidote). The following parameters and endpoints were assessed: clinical observations, body weight, indicators of myocardial injury, and electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters. The cinobufotalin injection-related changes were observed in clinical observations (rapid breathing pattern), indicators of myocardial injury (increased cardiac troponin I, creatine kinase isoenzymes, and aspartate aminotransferase), and ECG graphics (arrhythmia) at 3 g/kg concentration in treatment phases I-IV. The cardiotoxicity of cinobufotalin injection was attenuated by sodium phenytoin in treatment phase V. The results confirmed the cardiotoxicity of cinobufotalin injection, and they might bring information about the appropriate monitoring time points and cardiotoxicity parameters in clinical practices and shed light on the treatment of cardiovascular adverse reactions.