Abstract
Herbal extracts have been widely used in dermocosmetics as a source of biomolecules and also as a natural claim. Fruits from Caesalpinia spinosa show great potential for their polyphenolic content, preservative, and film-forming features, as previously reported in specialized literature; however, the toxicity requires investigation. We explored Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia) in larval, alevins, and juvenile stages to evaluate the ex vivo and in vivo genotoxicity and in vivo acute and chronic toxicity of C. spinosa aqueous extract in different concentrations. Cytotoxicity, animal behavior, morphological deformities, and DNA damage were evaluated. Our results showed genotoxic effect in ex vivo tests, but no DNA damage in in vivo erythrocytes. We suggest a mechanism of cell permeability involved in the toxicity of C. spinosa aqueous extract. Internal validation showed the feasibility of O. niloticus applied for toxicity evaluation. Further studies could contribute for better understanding the uses and safety of C. spinosa in cosmetics and topical pharmaceutical products.
Highlights
The largest sources of bioactive compounds in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries are derived from plants because of their intrinsic characteristics and presumed safety
The Ames test showed no mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium cultures (BallesterosRamírez et al, 2021). Considering this scenario with the purpose of determining the safety of the use of natural extracts as additives in cosmetic formulations, and taking into account that “tilapia” (Oreochromis niloticus) has a highly sensitive biological system in genotoxicity tests (Skowyra et al, 2013), we investigated the cytotoxic and genotoxic effect of the C. spinosa aqueous extract ex vivo and the absence of toxicity and genotoxicity in in vivo tests in healthy individuals of O. niloticus
The C. spinosa aqueous extract exhibited toxicity and genotoxic activity that acted on ex vivo exposed cells, as demonstrated by the blood cells obtained from the peripheral blood of O. niloticus
Summary
The largest sources of bioactive compounds in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries are derived from plants because of their intrinsic characteristics and presumed safety. Caesalpinia spinosa “tara” is a native species of Peru, with both wild types and those cultivated in various types of soils, from neutral to saline. These plants are resistant to drought and are able to adapt to temperature variations (Lubbe and Verpoorte, 2011). Variations in the content of polyphenols and flavonoids with antioxidant activity have been reported according to the type of extract (aqueous or ethanolic) (Skowyra et al, 2013). Previous studies have demonstrated that the aqueous extract of tara has an IC50 value of antioxidants greater than that of ascorbic acid (Callohuari et al, 2017) and is able to control the degradation of hyaluronan (Valachová et al, 2014).
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