We would like to express our gratitude for your contributions to our official scientific journals, The Journal of Toxicological Sciences and Fundamental Toxicological Sciences.

We have decided to make both journals open access in order to internationalize them and expand their reach to a broader audience. Articles will be published under the Creative Commons license with the highest degree of freedom, CC BY (4.0). As a result of this change, article copyright will belong to the authors, and secondary use, including copying, distribution, display, storage, modification, and commercial use, can be carried out without the relevant society’s permission.

The new Instructions for Authors will be published on the journal websites in advance. These new submission guidelines 
will apply to papers submitted on or after June 1, 2025 (Japan time). Please note that the previous Instructions for Authors will apply to papers submitted until May 31, 2025 (Japan time).

We hope that this change will encourage you to submit more of your excellent papers to The Journal of Toxicological Sciences and Fundamental Toxicological Sciences.

Toshiyuki Kaji, Ph.D.

Editor-in-Chief

The Journal of Toxicological Sciences

Akira Naganuma, Ph.D.

Editor-in-Chief

Fundamental Toxicological Sciences

Zizyphi spinosi semen (ZSS), the seeds of Zizyphus jujuba Miller var. spinosa, is a well-known ingredient in Chinese herbal medicine that has been used for centuries to treat insomnia and anxiety. ZSS is usually served as a decoction in traditional Chinese medicine; however, our previous study using dementia model mice revealed that the anti-dementia activity of ZSS is enhanced by simple crushing rather than hot water extraction, with an effective dose of 3.3 mg/kg. To assess the safety of ZSS simple crushed powder (ZSS–SCP, Ziziphas Powder^TM), we conducted a series of preclinical safety assessments, including in vitro mutagenicity studies (Ames tests) in bacteria, and acute and 90-day sub-chronic oral toxicity studies in rats. In the acute toxicity study, ZSS–SCP was administered at a dose of 2,000 mg/kg to five male and five female animals. In the sub-chronic toxicity study, ZSS–SCP was tested at doses of 300 and 1,000 mg/kg, with 10 male and 10 female animals for each dose. The results showed no ZSS–SCP-induced mutations, animal deaths, or clinical abnormalities, indicating a No Observed Adverse Effect Level of 1,000 mg/kg/day. Our findings suggest that ZSS–SCP is a safe ingredient in anti-dementia foods.

The safety of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) manufactured by Teijin Limited was evaluated in a human overdose intake study involving placebo-controlled randomized double-blind parallel-group comparison. Thirty healthy Japanese volunteers, comprising men and women aged 20–64 years old, were divided into high-dose, low-dose, and placebo groups. NMN doses for these groups were set at 1,500, 750, and 0 mg/day, respectively, for an intake period of 4 weeks. To evaluate the safety of overdose intake of NMN, we conducted medical interviews and examined subjective symptoms, body weight, body mass index, blood pressure, pulse rate, hematological testing, biochemical testing, and urine testing at 0, 2, and 4 weeks of intake. As there were no dropouts, we analyzed the data from all 30 participants. We found no problematic findings or test result changes during any medical interviews or tests throughout the study period, confirming the safety of 1,500 mg/day NMN ingestion for 4 weeks. Blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) levels increased significantly, suggesting that orally ingested NMN was transferred throughout the body and converted to NAD⁺. In this study, NMN did not impact telomere length.

A significant source of mercury emissions into the aquatic environment is artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). The Birim River provides essential ecological services to nearby communities that rely on fish for protein. A total of 49 fish specimens of the species Oreochromis niloticus, Brycinus imberi, and Schilbe uranoscopus were collected from the river in the East Akim Municipality. Fish’s gill and muscle mercury levels were measured using the MA 3000 mercury analyzer. The muscle and gill of S. uranoscopus had the highest median Hg concentrations, at 0.870 mg/kg w.w. and 0.345 mg/kg w.w., respectively. On the contrary, the muscle and gill of O. niloticus had the lowest median Hg levels, measuring 0.138 and 0.066 mg/kg w.w., respectively. All samples had Hg levels lower than the WHO limit, except for the muscles of S. uranoscopus. While the Hg levels in the gills and muscles of B. imberi showed a negative correlation with body weight and length, O. niloticus showed a positive correlation with both body weight and length. No significant correlation was observed between Hg in gills and muscles of S. uranoscopus and weight. The Hazard Quotient of B. imberi and S. uranoscopus exceeded the limit of one. This means that individuals who consume B. imberi and S. uranoscopus from ASGM sites will be at a non-carcinogenic risk. Subsequently, eight meals of B. imberi, four meals of S. uranoscopus, and eighteen meals of O. niloticus are recommended for consumers each month.

Malassezia furfur (Mf) and Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) are the causative microorganisms of seborrheic dermatitis (SD). Notably, Staphylococcus epidermidis (Se) inhibits the growth of Sa and secretes moisturizing components. Therefore, suppression of Mf and Sa proliferation and promotion of Se growth are crucial to mitigate SD. We previously reported that a mixture of hinokitiol and maltotetraose-containing oligosaccharides (MTO) at varying concentrations inhibits the growth of Mf and Sa or inhibits the growth of Mf while promoting the growth of Se. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of the three aforementioned microorganisms using reagents with purported antibacterial or antifungal properties, namely ferulic acid, succinic acid, polylysine, and peptiskin (PK: Arginine and lysine polypeptide), to evaluate their efficacy in improving the scalp microorganisms associated with SD and determine their effective concentrations. Additionally, we evaluated the combined effects of MTO, a previously reported Se growth-promoting agent, and the effective agent identified in this study. Notably, 0.08% PK was the sole reagent significantly reducing and inhibiting the proliferation of Mf and Sa, respectively, while significantly increasing that of Se. Moreover, 0.80% PK and 1.40% MTO combination significantly promoted Se proliferation compared to 0.08% or 0.80% PK alone. Overall, our results highlight the potential of PK, either alone or in combination with MTO, to prevent and treat SD.

Fundamental Toxicological Sciences, 11 (2), 57-67, 2024.

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Error

The rats were housed at a constant temperature (20–26°C) and humidity (40%–70%) under a 12 hr/12 hr light/dark cycle.

Correction

The rats were fed CRF-1 (Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) and housed at a constant temperature (20–26°C) and humidity (40%–70%) under a 12 hr/12 hr light/dark cycle.