Efficacy of Acute Oral Supplementation of Aquilaria malaccensis Leaves Aqueous Extract on Adult Female Sprague Dawley Rat Growth Performance

Abstract

Aquilaria malaccensis belongs to the Thymelaceae family and is frequently encountered in select states of Peninsular Malaysia, notably Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang, and Johor. Its favorable pharmacological and nutritional attributes have attracted the attention of experts in the pharmaceutical and food industries. They are currently investigating its potential as an organic substitute herb for the formulation of diverse medicinal commodities. In spite of its growing utilization as a supplementary component, it is crucial to acknowledge that improper or excessive consumption of Aquilaria malaccensis leaf extract might pose a risk of oral toxicity. To evaluate this aspect, an acute study was carried out to investigate both the immediate and delayed toxic repercussions of aqueous extract from Aquilaria malaccensis leaves on rats during a 14-day span.The study involved twenty-four female Sprague Dawley rats, divided into four groups: Control (C); 1 ml of distilled water, Treatment 1 (T1); 1 g of Aquilaria malaccensis per kg of body weight, Treatment 2 (T2); 2 g per kg of body weight, and Treatment 3 (T3); 3 g per kg of body weight. The data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods; one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for parametric data and the Chi-Square test for non-parametric data.The results indicated that both T2 and T3 led to a significant increase in the mean weight of the organ (i.e.,ovary) compared to the control group. However, no significant differences were observed among the treatment groups with regard to weekly food intake (WFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and body weight gain (BWG) throughout the 14-day acute oral toxicity assessment. In conclusion, this preliminary study involving female rats suggests that doses of Aquilaria malaccensis up to 3 g/kg of body weight do not result in immediate (within 3-4 hours) or delayed toxic effects over a 14-day period, as evidenced by behavioral and physical, and growth parameter assessments (weekly food intake (WFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and body weight gain (BWG). The study indicates that exposing the animals to Aquilaria malaccensis aqueous extract at doses of 1 g, 2 g, and 3 g/kg of body weight does not adversely affect their overall condition. No instances of mortality or severe clinical effects were observed in any of the female rats during this acute oral toxicity study.