Toxicological Assessment of Chinese Cherry (Cerasus Pseudocerasus L.) Seed Oil

Abstract

The potential toxic properties and safety of Chinese cherry seed oil (CSO) were investigated by in vitro and in vivo toxicity tests. The acute oral toxicity study revealed no significant difference for the macroscopic results, the mortality and the body weight gain at 4000 mg CSO/kg bw (p > 0.05). The results in the bacterial reverse mutation test indicated the doses levels of 100 - 5000 µg/plate did not induce mutations. The mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test was used to evaluate structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations, compared with the negative control, the results showed no significant difference in micronucleus formation and the ratio of polychromatic erythrocytes and micro nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes at the concentrations of 500 - 2000 mg CSO/kg bw (p > 0.05). According to the mouse sperm abnormality test, CSO has no toxicity on mutagenesis of germ cell at the dietary exposure of 500 - 2000 mg/kg bw. In 28-day oral toxicity test, the food intake, organ weight and the biochemical and hematological parameters of all animals were not significantly different among the tested and the control groups (p > 0.05).