Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis ›› 2009, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (1): 62-064.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-616x.2009.01.015

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Acute Toxicity and the Genotoxicity of Alfalfa Total Saponins

LI Guo-feng, LI Lan-fang, ZHANG Qin-zeng,HAO Na, WANG Wei   

  1. Hebei Center for Disease Control and Prevention,Shijiazhuang 050021,China
  • Received:2008-08-27 Revised:2008-10-22 Online:2009-01-30 Published:2009-01-30

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: To observe the acute toxicity and the genotoxicity of alfalfa total saponins(ATS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Kunming mice were used to test the LD50 of ATS. The mouse bone marrow micronucleus test and the mouse sperm morphology test were used to evaluate genotoxicity of ATS. RESULTS: The LD50 of ATS was 13.01 g/kg, 95% confidence interval was 12.46~13.58 g/kg. The micronucleus rates and sperm abnormality rates were negative. CONCLUSION: The ATS was considered a substance with no toxicity and genotoxicity in this study.

Key words: alfalfa total saponins, acute toxicity, micronucleus test, sperm abnormality