90-Day repeated-dose toxicity study of licorice flavonoid oil (LFO) in rats.
Licorice flavonoid oil (LFO) is a new functional food ingredient consisting of licorice hydrophobic polyphenols in medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). As part of a safety evaluation, a 90-day oral toxicity study in rats was conducted using an LFO concentrate solution (2.90% glabridin). Male and female animals were assigned to one of 12 groups (10 males or females per group) and received corn oil (negative control), MCT (vehicle control), or 400, 600, 800 or 1600 mg/kg of the LFO concentrate solution. In conclusion, LFO concentrate solution induced an anticoagulation effect in both sexes, although there was a clear sex difference. Based on these findings, it is concluded that the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for the LFO concentrate solution is estimated to be 800 mg/kg/day for female rats, and approximately 400 mg/kg/day for male rats.
Nakagawa
K
K
Functional Food Ingredients Division, Healthcare Products Business Unit, Kaneka Corporation, 3-2-4, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-8288, Japan.
Kitano
M
M
Kishida
H
H
Hidaka
T
T
Nabae
K
K
Kawabe
M
M
Hosoe
K
K
D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000633:toxicity*; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D019055:No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000633:toxicity*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D012737:Sex Factors; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D018675:Toxicity Tests
D005419:Flavonoids; D010938:Plant Oils