Toxicological assessments of an ethanol extract complex of Descurainia sophia and Peucedanum praeruptorum : Subacute oral toxicity and genotoxicity studies

An ethanol extract complex of Descurainia sophia seeds and Peucedanum praeruptorum roots, called BP10A, has antitumor potential against colorectal cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the 28-day oral toxicity and the genotoxicity of BP10A. The subacute toxicity test was done through oral administration to mice. ICR mice (n = 10) received daily oral BP10A doses of 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg for 28 consecutive days. During administration, general clinical signs, food consumption, organ weights, and hematologic, biochemical and histopathological parameters in male and female mice were assessed. No significant adverse effects up to the highest dose (2000 mg/kg) were found. The genotoxicity was evaluated using a battery of tests, including an in vitro bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test, an in vivo micronucleus test using bone marrow cells in ICR mice and a chromosomal aberration test using CHL/IU cells. BP10A did not show any genotoxic signs in the Ames (up to 5000 μg/plate), micronucleus (up to 5000 mg/kg) and the chromosomal aberration tests (550-1750 μg/mL). Therefore, BP10A was considered safe based on the subacute toxicity and genotoxicity results, indicating that it is a useful pharmaceutical material with no adverse toxicity.