Acute, subacute and subchronic safety assessment of betalains rich Rivina humilis L. berry juice in rats

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology 2011-12, Vol.49 (12), p.3154-3157
• Main Authors: Khan, Mohammad Imtiyaj, Denny Joseph, K.M., Muralidhara, Ramesh, H.P., Giridhar, P., Ravishankar, G.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute; adults; adverse effects; Animals; beets; Betalains; Betalains - pharmacology; Beverages; Biological and medical sciences; blood serum; Body Weight - drug effects; Caryophyllales; diet study techniques; feed intake; Fruit - chemistry; hematology; histology; homeostasis; hydrophilicity; juices; liver; Male; Medical sciences; Organ Size - drug effects; Phytolaccaceae; Phytolaccaceae - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rivina humilis; Rivina humilis L. (Phytolaccaceae); Safety; safety assessment; small fruits; Subacute; Subchronic; toxicity; Toxicity Tests - methods; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2011.08.022

► Rivina humilis L. berry juice is potential source of betalains pigment. ► Acute, subacute and subchronic safety assessment of the juice was conducted in rats. ► Parameters such as body and organ weights, food intake, hematology, histopathology and serum biochemistry were recorded. ► Consumption of R. humilis L. berry juice does not affect the observed parameters. Rivina humilis L. (Phytolaccaceae) accumulates vacuolar pigments betalains. These pigments are synthesized by plants of 11 families in the order caryophyllales. Red beet is the only industrial source of these hydrophilic and low acidic pigments. Betalains rich R. humilis berry juice (RBJ) could be used as alternative source of these pigments. However, there is no information on safety of these berries. In this research work, RBJ was fed to adult (single-dose: 1, 2 and 5g RBJ/kg bw) and growing (repeated-dosing: 2.5 and 5g RBJ/kg bw for 35days; dietary feeding: 0.5%, 1% and 2% RBJ in diet, w/w for 90days) male rats to assess acute, subacute and subchronic toxic responses. In all the three studies, RBJ was well tolerated plus the feed intake, body and organ weights of RBJ administered groups were comparable to that of untreated control rats. Data on hematology, histology of vital organs, biochemical measurements in serum and liver of RBJ treated rats were comparable to that of control in repeated-dosing and subchronic dietary study. These results suggest that intake of RBJ does not affect growth and normal biochemical homeostasis. Hence, RBJ is safe to consume without any adverse effects in the body.