Subchronic Study of Sperm Morphology, Genotoxic and Mutagenic Effect of Lepidium Sativum Seeds Aqueous Extract In Vivo

The study, involving 40 male albino mice, assessed the toxic effects of Lepidium sativum (LS) seeds aqueous extract when administered at various doses. High doses, particularly with daily administration, caused significant toxicity, including mortality, weakness, hair loss, abdominal bloating, and tissue damage in the colon, liver, kidney, and testis. Additionally, high doses led to increased cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in bone marrow cells, sperm abnormalities, and a mutation in the P53 gene. The study concluded that high doses of LS seed extract are toxic and should only be used in therapeutic doses under medical supervision. The highest toxicity was observed at 800mg/kg daily, while the lowest genotoxicity was at 200mg/kg. The study suggests that the toxic effects might be due to the disturbance of liver and kidney functions, anemia, and DNA damage from high levels of benzyl isothiocyanates in the colon tissue. Further research was recommended to understand the mechanisms behind LS's genotoxicity and mutagenicity.