Abstract
Unsweetened natural cocoa (UNCP) was evaluated for reproductive toxicity in rats. A preliminary genotoxic potential was evaluated by the DNA comet assay test using C57Bl/6 mice. Both therapeutic dose (TD; 900 mg/kg) and high dose (HD; 9000 mg/kg) of UNCP were used. White Wistar rats were used in two experimental groups. The females received UNCP 15 days before crossing with untreated males. The males received UNCP for 48 days before mating with untreated females. Subacute toxicity was observed during a 14-day oral administration of UNCP. Results show that a high tail DNA% was observed with methyl mesylate administration in all tissues analysed. The lowest tail DNA% value was observed in the liver (1.64 ± 0.26) and kidney (1.63 ± 0.30) during UNCP (TD) administration. UNCP did not induce observable physical congenital malformations on the pubs of treated female and male rats, lacks genotoxic potential, and did not adversely affect pregnancy index, pub weights, and survival index, but UNCP exhibited proimplantation potential (p > 0.05).
Highlights
In Ghana, herbs are used in medicine and food in various forms, especially those used in enhancing sexual and reproductive functions
Unsweetened natural cocoa powder (UNCP) is obtained from the seed of eobroma cacao and is prepared after removal of the cocoa butter from powdered cocoa beans via fermentation, drying, bagging, winnowing, roasting, grinding, and pressing
UNCP was administered via intragastric route at a therapeutic dose (TD) of 900 mg/kg and a high dose of 9000 mg/kg (10 times higher than the therapeutic dose) in accordance with the guidelines for experimental preclinical research of new pharmacological substances [37]
Summary
In Ghana, herbs are used in medicine and food in various forms, especially those used in enhancing sexual and reproductive functions. One of such herbs is eobroma cacao in the form of UNCP [1,2,3]. Unsweetened natural cocoa powder (UNCP) is a pulverised high-grade nonalkalized powder used as beverage in Ghana, West Africa, and most parts of the world. UNCP is obtained from the seed of eobroma cacao and is prepared after removal of the cocoa butter from powdered cocoa beans via fermentation, drying, bagging, winnowing, roasting, grinding, and pressing. The solid blocks obtained are pulverised into a very fine powder. UNCP has been recommended in the management of simple uncomplicated malaria, bronchial asthma, essential hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and as an aphrodisiac [4,5,6,7]
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