Evaluation of acute and sub-chronic toxicity of bitter melon seed extract in Wistar rats

• Published in: Toxicology reports Vol. 9; pp. 1024 - 1034
• Main Authors: Chung, Wan-Yu, Jadhav, Sudhakar, Hsu, Pang-Kuei, Kuan, Chen-Meng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01-01-2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acute toxicity; Bitter melon seeds; Momordica charantia; Regular; Sub-chronic toxicity; Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction; Momordica charantia; Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction; Bitter melon seeds; Sub-chronic toxicity; Acute toxicity
• ISSN: 2214-7500; 2214-7500
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2022.04.024

Pharmacological studies have revealed the potential antidiabetic effects of bitter melon seeds (Momordica charantia) in animals and humans. However, the sub-chronic safety of bitter melon seeds remains elusive. This exploratory study aimed to assess the acute and sub-chronic toxicity of a bitter melon seed extract from supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) extraction in Wistar rats based on the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines No. 423 and 408. No mortality and toxicity were observed in rats treated with a single dose of the extract during the 14-day observation period. The median lethal dose (LD50) of the extract was considered greater than 2000 mg/kg body weight (BW). For the sub-chronic toxicity study, male and female rats were orally administered daily doses of 0, 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg BW for 90 days. No mortality, morbidity, and abnormal pathological and biochemical alterations were observed. The no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) of the bitter melon seed extract was greater than 1000 mg/kg BW. Accordingly, bitter melon seed extract from scCO2 extraction may be considered a non-toxic dietary ingredient.
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•Pharmacological studies have revealed the potential hypoglycemic effect of bitter melon seed extracts.•The LD50 of the scCO2-based bitter melon seed extract was > 2000 mg/kg BW.•The NOAEL of the scCO2-based bitter melon seed extract in rats was > 1000 mg/kg BW.