Abstract:
Palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer L.) flour prepared from the seed shoot has been previously reported to cause hepatotoxic, neurotoxic and other toxic effects. Although palmyrah fruit pulp (PFP) is also consumed in Sri Lanka, no toxicity studies have been done. Short and long term toxicity studies were therefore conducted with PFP by administration of 10% or 50% PFP (dry basis) incorporated into WHO standard feed (part of the maize being substituted with PFP) compared with a control group of ICR mice, fed the WHO standard feed (n=7 in each group, age 6 weeks, weight 36- 44g) , for 7 or 30 days. In both studies the effect of 10% or 50% PFP feed on liver and kidney function and haematological parameters (haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, white blood cell count and red blood cell
count) were determined. Liver function was assessed by estimation of serum levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase. Renal toxicity was assessed by estimation of serum creatinine levels. In thelong term toxicity study, effect of PFP on histology of main
body organs (heart, lung, liver, kidney and intestine) were also assessed by microscopic examination of haematoxylin / eosin stained sections of these organs. Results of both the short term and long term toxicity studies demonstrated that PFP at the 10% or 50% level did not have any significant effect on kidney or liver function nor on the haematological parameters under study and on the histology of major body organs in ICR mice. In all studies, neurotoxicity was assessed by comparing the behaviour of the test group with the control group. No behavioural changes or spasms were observed in the test groups of mice fed with the feed containing 10% or 50% PFP. The overall results suggest that PFP even at the 50% level in the standard feed probably does not produce any toxic effects in ICR mice.