Safety evaluation of the aqueous seed extract of Pimpinella anisum L.: Subacute oral toxicity study in male mice

Résumé 0

This work contributes to the safety assessment of the aqueous seed extract of Pimpinella anisum L. (Apiaceae). A subacute oral toxicity study was performed according to OECD guidelines. The effect of the aqueous extract on the renal function of male albino mice was evaluated using biochemical and histopathological analyses. The oral administration of repeated doses of 250, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of the aqueous extract to mice for 28 days did not cause any mortality, although behavioral changes were observed in the mice treated with the 1,000 mg/kg b.w. dose. A biochemical analysis was performed at the end of the study, showing a significant increase in serum urea and, in particular, creatinine levels in the groups given doses of 500 and 1,000 mg/kg b.w., compared with the control group. This increase was confirmed by the histopathological examination of the renal tissues, which showed observable cell damage, indicating that the administration of the aqueous seed extract of Pimpinella anisum L. in high doses may cause renal dysfunction.