In vitro and in vivo evaluation of systemic and genetic toxicity of Citrus unshiu peel

Publication date: 6 April 2018
Source:Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Volume 215
Author(s): Hwayong Park, Youn-Hwan Hwang, Jang-Gi Choi, Jin Yeul Ma
Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe peel of Citrus unshiu Markovich fruits (CUP), called "Jinpi" in Korea, and "Chenpi" in China, has been used for the treatment of respiratory and blood circulation disorders in traditional oriental medicine (TOM). Despite its widespread uses in TOM, no information on the safety of CUP has been reported. Thus, genotoxicity and systemic toxicity of CUP were evaluated in the current studies.Materials and methodsWe conducted a toxicological evaluation of CUP water extracts using acute and subchronic (13-week repeated-dose) toxicity tests and three genotoxicity assays (bacterial reverse mutation, mammalian chromosomal aberration, and micronuclei formation).ResultsIn acute and subchronic toxicity tests, both the median lethal dose (LD50) and no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) were more than 4000mg/kg/day in rats. None of the genotoxicity assays revealed any mutagenicity or clastogenicity in in vitro and in vivo systems.ConclusionCUP water extracts were found to be nongenotoxic under our testing conditions and had low acute and subchronic toxicity.

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