Long-term safety evaluation of doum fruit (Hyphaene thebaica L.) aqueous extract on the female reproductive parameters, fetal formations and mutagenic potential

Abstract

Several studies have been reported about the distinct activity of the doum fruits as hypotensive, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, antioxidants and hypolipidemic. This study evaluated the safety of the aqueous extract of doum fruits (Hyphaene thebaica L.) on the female reproductive parameters, fetal formations, and normal chromosomes. Acute toxicity studies (LD50 values) were evaluated in mice. Single doses of the tested material were given orally, and abnormal behavioral changes were firm through 14- day observation period. The reproductive parameters (no. of pregnancy survival, corpora lutea, implantations, and resorptions and weight at birth), fetal formations (external, skeletal, and visceral) and the normal chromosomes were also investigated. Toleration and absence of mortality or morbidity were observed among animals treated with the decoction of doum fruits until the dose of 5 g/kg of body weight (b. w). Also, repetitive oral treatment of doum fruits to pregnant mice, rabbits and rats at 3 g/kg b. w was not effective on the female reproductive parameters, fetal formations, and the chromosomes (chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei). The doum fruit under test may be of value in treatment of various health problems, with no side effects on the female reproductive parameters, fetal formations and chromosomes have been reported.