Toxicological assessment of Capparis spinosa L. seed’s oil

Abstract

Introduction. Herbal medicines are unique therapeutic agents that represent multicomponent complexes of biologically active substances. They have low toxicity, a wide spectrum of therapeutic action with a minimum of side effects and a relatively low cost. Capparis spinosa L. has been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases and health conditions. Material and methods. An assessment of the toxicometric parameters of Capparis spinosa L. seed’s oil was done by a single oral and dermal exposure, the average lethal doses have been calculated for both routes, sensitivity by sex has been studied. The local irritant, skin resorptive, effect on the mucous membranes of the eyes of experimental animals was investigated. Sensitizing activity was studied according to the complex sensitization scheme. Processing of the results was carried out by the method of variation statistics. Standard errors and other indicators were calculated using the Litchfield-Wilcoxon probabilistic analysis method modified by Prozorovsky. The difference in mean values was estimated using Student’s t-test. Results. The acute toxicity of the oil was not expressed, death of animals was not observed. Average lethal dose for a single oral exposure was above 7000 mg/kg and dermal more than 3000 mg/kg. Sensitivity by sex in an acute experiment has not been established. The oil had a mild irritating effect on the mucous membranes of the eyes. It did not show skin-irritating, resorptive-toxic and sensitizing effects. Conclusion. Capparis spinosa L seed’s oil belongs to the 4th hazard class (low hazard) according to the hygienic classification and safety requirements of substances.