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Acute and subacute dermal toxicity of ethanolic extract of Melastoma malabathricum leaves in Sprague-Dawley rats

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Abstract

Melastoma malabathricum is a well-known herb in Malaysia where it being used in various ways for treatment of different diseases and ailments including skin problems. The study aims to investigate acute and subacute dermal toxicity of ethanolic extract of M. malabathricum leaves following to a single or repeated doses exposure. A total of 30 female Sprague-Dawley rats were grouped into 5 groups (n = 6 per group) for both acute and subacute toxicity study. The duration for each study was determined at 14 days for acute toxicity and 28 days for subacute toxicity. The rats were topically applied with the plant extract at three different doses; 2.5%, 5.0% and 10.0% on the shaved area of dorsal skin. For acute toxicity study, rats in all three groups received single application of the extract on the first day of the experimental period, while rats in subacute toxicity study were topically applied with the extract once daily for 28 days. Throughout the respective 14-day and 28-day study periods, all rats were monitored for any changes in their physical appearance and behavioural patterns that might develop due to toxic effects of the plant. There were no mortality or abnormal physical appearance, and physiological and behavioural changes observed in all rats in both studies. Body weights, kidney and liver weights, and both haematology and serum biochemistry results showed no significant (p > 0.05) differences between all groups in both studies. All of the findings were supported by normal macroscopic and microscopic architectures of liver, kidneys and skin of all rats applied topically with the extract. This study suggests that topical application of M. malabathricum leaf ethanolic extract at 2.5%, 5% and 10% does not induce acute and subacute adverse effects on the skin or systemic toxic reactions in rats.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) for providing IPS Research Grant (GP-IPS/2016/9489700) and MARDI for providing Animal Research Facilities. The authors would also like to thank staff at the Veterinary Haematology and Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, UPM and Animal Science Research Centre, MARDI for their contribution and cooperation towards completion of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 43400, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

    Farhan Hanif Reduan, Nurul Syahirah Ahmad Sayuti, Noordin Mohamed Mustapha & Hazilawati Hamzah

  2. Department of Paraclinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Pengkalan Chepa, 16100, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia

    Farhan Hanif Reduan

  3. Animal Science Research Centre, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute Headquarters, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Rosly Mohd Shaari & Shanmugavelu Sithambaram

  4. Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Md Zuki Abu Bakar

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  1. Farhan Hanif Reduan
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  2. Rosly Mohd Shaari
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  3. Nurul Syahirah Ahmad Sayuti
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  4. Noordin Mohamed Mustapha
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  5. Md Zuki Abu Bakar
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  6. Shanmugavelu Sithambaram
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  7. Hazilawati Hamzah
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Correspondence to Hazilawati Hamzah.

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Reduan, F.H., Shaari, R.M., Sayuti, N.S.A. et al. Acute and subacute dermal toxicity of ethanolic extract of Melastoma malabathricum leaves in Sprague-Dawley rats. Toxicol Res. 36, 203–210 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43188-019-00013-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43188-019-00013-5

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