Phytochemical Evaluation, Embryotoxicity, and Teratogenic Effects of Curcuma longa Extract on Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Abstract

Curcuma longa L. is a rhizome plant often used as traditional medicinal preparations in Southeast Asia. The dried powder is commonly known as cure-all herbal medicine with a wider spectrum of pharmaceutical activities. In spite of the widely reported therapeutic applications of C. longa, research on its safety and teratogenic effects on zebrafish embryos and larvae is still limited. Hence, this research aimed to assess the toxicity of C. longa extract on zebrafish. Using a reflux flask, methanol extract of C. longa was extracted and the identification and quantification of total flavonoids were carried out with HPLC. Twelve fertilized embryos were selected to test the embryotoxicity and teratogenicity at different concentration points. The embryos were exposed to the extract in the E3M medium while the control was only exposed to E3M and different developmental endpoints were recorded with the therapeutic index calculated using the ratio of LC50/EC50. C. longa extract was detected to be highly rich in flavonoids with catechin, epicatechin, and naringenin as the 3 most abundant with concentrations of 3,531.34, 688.70, and 523.83μg/mL, respectively. The toxicity effects were discovered to be dose-dependent at dosage above 62.50μg/mL, while, at 125.0μg/mL, mortality of embryos was observed and physical body deformities of larvae were recorded among the hatched embryos at higher concentrations. Teratogenic effect of the extract was severe at higher concentrations producing physical body deformities such as kink tail, bend trunk, and enlarged yolk sac edema. Finally, the therapeutic index (TI) values calculated were approximately the same for different concentration points tested. Overall, the result revealed that plants having therapeutic potential could also pose threats when consumed at higher doses especially on the embryos. Therefore, detailed toxicity analysis should be carried out on medicinal plants to ascertain their safety on the embryos and its development.

Phytochemical and Safety Evaluations of Volatile Terpenoids from Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. on Mature Carp Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and Embryonic Zebrafish

“…This corresponds to the previous finding on Curcuma longa Linn. extract which exhibited embryotoxicity at high concentrations (125 µg/mL) on developing zebrafish [14]. The zebrafish fed with the essential oil from Pistacia lentiscus Var.…”

“…extract using a zebrafish model are reported. [14]. Thus, the current investigation was used the zebrafish embryo model to assessment the embryotoxicity and teratogenicity of essential oil from Z. cassumunar.…”

Zebrafish as a Successful Animal Model for Screening Toxicity of Medicinal Plants

“…Herbal plants have pharmacological and therapeutic characteristics due to the natural chemical compounds they contain [ 1 ]. Hence, they are widely utilized every day for culinary purposes and nutritional supplements to promote health [ 2 ].…”

“…Bioactive compounds in medicinal plants can have toxic impacts on cardiac glycosides, phorbol esters, alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides, and lectins [ 10 ]. The statistical evaluation carried out by the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau and Health ministry’s Malaysian Adverse Drug Reaction Advisory Committee in 2013 confirmed that 11,437 cases of harmful drug reaction had been reported, and 0.2% were due to herbal remedies [ 1 ]. Thus, the evaluation of the toxicity of potential drug compounds has been enhanced in recent years [ 11 ].…”

“…Today, many herbal products claim to provide pharmaceutical health benefits but do not provide any toxicological data [ 1 ]; thus, the safety of these drugs is questionable. This review aimed to compare the results of studies of the toxicity of medicinal plants and assess the toxicity tests used to analyze some of these commercial products from plants.…”