Cytotoxicity and Acute Oral Toxicity Effects of Parkia Speciosa Seeds Extract in C57bl/6 Mice

Abstract

Parkia speciosa is frequently consumed as a raw salad due to the notion that the plant exhibits numerous pharmacological activities that could benefit health particularly among Asians. This study was aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity and acute oral toxicity consequences of Parkia speciosa seeds extract against 4T1 mouse mammary cancer cells on C57BL/6 female mice. The antiproliferative effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts was studied using the in-vitro antiproliferative assay, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Meanwhile, for acute toxicity study, twenty female mice were categorized into 5 groups, each with three aqueous extract treatment groups: 50 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, 2000 mg/kg, meanwhile one vehicle group (treated with sterile distilled water), and one control group (no treatment given). Changes in behavioural signs, mortality rate, relative body weight, haematology, serum biochemistry, and organ histological evaluation were observed. Based on the MTT assay, the aqueous extract of Parkia speciosa was weakly active (IC50 = 312.5 ± 1.20 ug/ml) against 4T1 mammary cancer cells. In the acute study, no mortality, behavioural and physical changes were observed in any of the mice groups throughout the 14-day experiment. The haematological and serum biochemistry results of the treated and control groups showed no alteration. The kidney and liver were histopathologically evaluated and found to have normal organ architectures. Analyzed results could conclude that aqueous extract of Parkia speciosa has weakly active against cancer cells but has no deleterious effects on C57BL/6 mice given at high doses up to 2000 mg/kg.