Subacute 28 days oral toxicity study of kaempferol and biochanin-A in the mouse model

The present study was undertaken to investigate the safety of kaempferol (KEM) and biochanin-A (BCA) following subacute exposure in mice. KEM and BCA were administered in three different doses by oral administration for 28 days. Evaluation of general toxicity parameters by examining the clinical signs, body weight, organ weights, haematological, biochemical, oxidative stress parameters, and histopathology was done. Administration of KEM and BCA for 28 days did not show any clinical signs of toxicity, nor any treatment-related changes in body weight and organ weights in comparison to control. The haematological parameters such as red blood cell, white blood cell, platelets count, haemoglobin (Hb) level, haematocrit, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, and platelet distribution width did not show any change in the treated groups and control. Furthermore, different biochemical parameters like markers of the liver (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase), kidney (creatinine and urea), and heart (creatinine kinase-myocardial band and lactate dehydrogenase) injury along with other biochemical parameters showed nonsignificant differences between treated groups and control. Results of oxidative stress parameters in treated groups showed insignificant variations with control. The level of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and catalase were markedly increased in the treated groups; however, these were nonsignificant in comparison to control. In histopathology, evaluation of all vital organs, such as liver, kidney, heart, and lungs, did not show any morphological abnormalities and lesions in treated groups and control. The present study suggests that KEM and BCA have no adverse effects on the general physiology in mice.