Acute Oral Toxicity Analysis of Agave Offoyana Jacobi Fructan Extract

Abstract

Introduction: Fructans have various applications in food and health as they are used selectively by the beneficial gut microbiota and are not digestible.

Objective: To analyze the level of toxicity of fructan extract of Agave offoyana Jacobi (Asparagaceae).

Methods: Three adult individuals of Agave offoyana were collected in the "Tres Ceibas de Clavellina" Managed Floristic Reserve, Matanzas province, in July 2017. The stems of the plants were crushed and the aqueous extract was concentrated. The extract was characterized by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. A toxicity study was conducted where Balb C mice were used, three animals/sex/dose. Data on body weight and food consumption were expressed as the mean ± DS. The differences between the means were determined by a single classification analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Dunnett's multi-range test, in all cases taking a significance level of p < 0.05.

Results: The presence of fructans of low and high molecular weight was observed, with a degree of polymerization from 3 to 7. Administration of single doses of the extract did not result in toxicity effects, nor deaths during the first 24 hours or in the subsequent 14 days of observation. There were no alterations in food consumption. The autopsy at 14 days revealed that the organs, tissues and cavities had normal morphology, coloration and size. Statistical analysis of the weight of the animals at 7 and 14 days after the dose was administered revealed no significant differences between the control and experimental groups.

Conclusions: The aqueous extract of Agave offoyana Jacobi (Asparagaceae) is not toxic at the dose evaluated in Balb C mice of both sexes, so its use in food and medicine could be considered once its chemical and toxicological characterization is completed.