Author(s):
Juhi Kataria, Louis Cojandaraj A, Pearl Pinto, Tajpreet Kaur, Amandeep Singh
Email(s):
Kataria_juhi@yahoo.in , louis_2286@live.com , pearlpinto10@gmail.com , preettajkaur@yahoo.co.in , amandeepkcp@gmail.com
DOI:
10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00355 
Address:
Juhi Kataria1,2*, Louis Cojandaraj A3, Pearl Pinto1, Tajpreet Kaur4, Amandeep Singh4
1Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Lovely Professional University Phagwara - 144411, Punjab, India.
2Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied and Healthcare Sciences Khalsa University, Amritsar - 143002, Punjab, India.
3Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, SRM Nagar, Irungalur, Tiruchirapallai - 621105
4Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khalsa College of Pharmacy Amritsar-143002, Punjab, India.
*Corresponding Author
Published In:
Volume - 19,
Issue - 6,
Year - 2026
ABSTRACT:
Seaweed Turbinaria decurrens (T. decurrens) has attracted considerable attention in pharmaceutical research due to its rich composition of bioactive constituents, including polysaccharides, polyphenols, pigments, proteins, fatty acids, and various secondary metabolites with health promoting properties. Notwithstanding the therapeutic benefits of T. decurrens, evidence about its detrimental effects remained few. This work focused on the toxicity of the methanolic extract of T. decurrens using Wistar rats’ models. The current investigation involved the extraction of seaweed compounds utilizing three distinct solvents: Acetone, Aqueous, and Methanol. These extracts were subjected to evaluate the MTT cytotoxicity assay (3-4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide on 3T3 fibroblast cell lines. Based on the preliminary phytochemical screening and antioxidant profiling, methanolic extract was selected for further toxicological evaluation. An acute toxicity investigation was performed on female Wistar rats, providing a single dosage of 50mg/kg, 300mg/kg, and 2000 mg/kg of body weight of methanolic extract. The animals were observed for 14 consecutive days for behavioural changes and signs of toxicity. Upon completion of the trial, body weights measurements were taken followed by haematological and biochemical analyses. The animals were sacrificed at the end of the trial, and the essential organs, liver and kidney, were removed to identify any potential histological abnormalities. The data demonstrated no fatalities throughout the trial. No notable alterations were seen in general behaviour, body weight, or biochemical and haematological markers among the groups administered 50mg/kg, 300mg/kg, and 2000mg/kg of methanolic extract of T. decurrens. Histopathological analysis indicated no abnormalities in the morphology of the liver and kidney in the groups treated with 50mg and 300mg/kg; however, mild lymphocyte infiltration was observed in the kidney of the group administered 2000mg/kg body weight of methanolic extract of T. decurrens. The study revealed that the ingestion of T. decurrens at doses up to 2000mg/kg is safe and does not result in any structural harm to organs. Consequently, the normal blood profile, together with biochemical and histological analyses, indicated non-toxic characteristics and safe use of T. decurrens.
Cite this article:
Juhi Kataria, Louis Cojandaraj A, Pearl Pinto, Tajpreet Kaur, Amandeep Singh. Acute Toxicity and Cytotoxicity Assessment of Turbinaria decurrens Methanolic Extract in Wistar rats. Research Journal Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(6):2483-1. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00355
Cite(Electronic):
Juhi Kataria, Louis Cojandaraj A, Pearl Pinto, Tajpreet Kaur, Amandeep Singh. Acute Toxicity and Cytotoxicity Assessment of Turbinaria decurrens Methanolic Extract in Wistar rats. Research Journal Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(6):2483-1. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00355 Available on: https://rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2026-19-6-12
REFERENCES:
1. Pradhan B, Bhuyan PP, Patra S, Nayak R, Behera PK, Behera C, et al. Beneficial effects of seaweeds and seaweed-derived bioactive compounds: Current evidence and future prospective. Biocatal Agric Biotechnol. 2022; 39: 102242. doi.org/10.1016/ j.bcab.2021.102242
2. El-Beltagi HS, Mohamed AA, Mohamed HI, Ramadan KMA, Barqawi AA, Mansour AT. Phytochemical and potential properties of seaweeds and their recent applications: A Review. Vol. 20, Mar Drugs. 2022; 20(6): 342. doi.org 10.3390/ md20060342
3. Michalak I, Tiwari R, Dhawan M, Alagawany M, Farag MR, Sharun K, et al. Antioxidant effects of seaweeds and their active compounds on animal health and production–a review. Vet Q. 2022; 42(1): 48–67. doi.org/ 10.1080/01652176.2022.2061744
4. Guardado Yordi E, Pérez Martínez A, Radice M, Scalvenzi L, Abreu-Naranjo R, Uriarte E, et al. Seaweeds as source of bioactive pigments with neuroprotective and/or anti-neurodegenerative activities: astaxanthin and fucoxanthin. Mar Drugs. 2024; 22(7): 327. doi.org/10.3390/md22070327
5. Echave J, Otero P, Garcia-Oliveira P, Munekata PES, Pateiro M, Lorenzo JM, et al. Seaweed-derived proteins and peptides: promising marine bioactive. Antioxidants. 2022; 11(1): 176. doi.org/10.3390/antiox11010176
6. Rushdi MI, Abdel-Rahman IAM, Saber H, Attia EZ, Abdelraheem WM, Madkour HA, et al. The genus Turbinaria: chemical and pharmacological diversity. Nat Prod Res. 2021; 35(22): 4560–78. doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2020.1731741
7. Kalimuthu K, Shankar K. In Vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of phlorotannin from brown seaweed Turbinaria decurrens [(Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1828)]. Adv Biores. 2022; 13(2): 59-69. doi:10.15515/abr.0976-4585.13.2.5969
8. Shanthi N, Arumugam P, Murugan M, Sudhakar P, Arunkumar K. Extraction of fucoidan from Turbinaria decurrens and the synthesis of fucoidan-coated AgNps for anticoagulant application. ACS omega. 2021; 6(46): 30998-1008. doi.org/10.1021/ acsomega.1c03776
9. Fraga-Corral M, Otero P, Echave J, Pereira AG, Garcia-Oliveira P, Perez-Vazquez A, et al. Algal Extracts as Preventive Mechanism for Mycotoxins Development. Biol Life Sci Forum. 2023; 24(1): 5 doi.org/ 10.3390/IECT2023-14814.
10. Sanniyasi E, Venkatasubramanian G, Anbalagan MM, Raj PP, Gopal RK. In vitro anti-HIV-1 activity of the bioactive compound extracted and purified from two different marine macroalgae (seaweeds) (Dictyota bartayesiana J.V.Lamouroux and Turbinaria decurrens Bory). Sci Rep. 2019; 9(1): 12185. doi.org/ 10.1038/s41598-019-47917-8
11. Zakaria AD, Basah K, Bahtiar A, Deviyani Z. Cytotoxic activity of extract and active fraction of Turbinaria decurrens bory on colon cancer cell line HCT-116. Int. J. Morphol. 2018; 36(3): 979-83.
12. Sami FJ, Soekamto NH, Okino T, Firdaus, Latip J. A flavonoid compound of Turbinaria decurrens Bory with the potential antioxidant and anticancer activity. Res J Pharm Technol. 2021; 14(12): 6207-10. doi.org/ 10.52711/0974-360X.2021.01074
13. Al-Afifi NA, Alabsi AM, Bakri MM, Ramanathan A. Acute and sub-acute oral toxicity of Dracaena cinnabari resin methanol extract in rats. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018; 18(1): 1-14. doi.org/10.1186/s12906-018-2110-3
14. Thanigaivel S, Thomas J, Chandrasekaran N, Mukherjee A. Preparation of marine algal (seaweed) extracts and quantification of phytocompounds. Aqua Microbiol. 2023; 135-40. doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3032-7_17
15. Jha AK, Sit N. Extraction of bioactive compounds from plant materials using combination of various novel methods: A review. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2022; 1(19): 579–91. doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2021.11.019
16. Picot Joanna. Human cell culture protocols. Humana Press; 2005. 359 p.
17. Mosmann T. Rapid colorimetric assay for cellular growth and survival: Application to proliferation and cytotoxicity assays. J Immunol Methods. 1983; 65(1–2): 55–63. doi.org/10.1016/0022-1759(83)90303-4
18. OECD Guidelines. OECD 423. Acute Oral Toxicity, OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals, Section 4, OECD Publishing, Paris. OECD. 2002; (December).
19. Caroline de SB, Max WLG, Rafaela dos SPG, Vanessa M, Caio CRN, Claudio CCS, et al. Acute toxicity evaluation of ethanol extract of red algae, Osmundaria obtusiloba, in BALB/c mice. J Med Plants Res. 2018; 12(17): 217–21. doi.org/10.5897/ jmpr2018.6582
20. Kampfmann I, Bauer N, Johannes S, Moritz A. Differences in hematologic variables in rats of the same strain but different origin. Vet Clin Pathol. 2012; 41(2): 228–34. doi.org/10.1111/ j.1939-165X.2012.00427
21. Kharchoufa L, Bouhrim M, Bencheikh N, El Assri S, Amirou A, Yamani A, et al. Acute and subacute toxicity studies of the aqueous extract from Haloxylon scoparium Pomel (Hammada scoparia (Pomel)) by oral administration in rodents. Biomed Res Int. 2020; (1): 4020647. doi.org/10.1155/2020/4020647
22. Trinder P. Determination of Glucose in Blood using Glucose Oxidase with an alternative oxygen acceptor. Ann clin Biochem. 1969; 6(1): 24-7. doi.org/10.1177/000456326900600108
23. Fawcett JK, Scott JE. A rapid and precise method for the determination of urea. J Clin Path. 1960; 13(2): 156-9. doi.org/10.1136/jcp.13.2.156
24. Bonsnes RW, Taussky HH. On the colorimetric determination of creatinine by the Jaffe reaction. J Biol Chem 1945; 158(3): 581-91. doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9258(19)51334-5
25. Richmond W. Preparation and properties of a cholesterol oxidase from Nocardia sp. and its application to the enzymatic assay of total cholesterol in serum. Clin Chem. 1973; 19(12): 1350-6. doi.org/10.1093/clinchem/19.12.1350
26. Yeates RA, Mannik T, Calvert GD. The measurement of plasma-HDL-cholesterol by precipitation techniques. Pathology. 1979; 11(2): 324. doi.org/10.1016/S0031-3025(16)39975-5
27. Fossati P, Prencipe L. Serum triglycerides determined colorimetrically with an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide. Clin Chem. 1982; 28(10): 2077-80. doi.org/10.1093/clinchem/ 28.10.2077
28. Vargas-Vázquez A, Bello-Chavolla OY, Antonio-Villa NE, Mehta R, Cruz-Bautista I, Aguilar-Salinas CA. Comparative assessment of LDL-C and VLDL-C estimation in familial combined hyperlipidemia using Sampson’s, Martin’s and Friedewald’s equations. Lipids Health Dis. 2021; 20(1): 46. doi.org/ 10.1186/s12944-021-01471-3
29. Bergmeyer HU, Hørder M, Rej R. International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) Scientific Committee, Analytical Section: approved recommendation (1985) on IFCC methods for the measurement of catalytic concentration of enzymes. Part 3. IFCC method for alanine aminotransferase (L-alanine: 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, EC 2.6.1.2). J Clin Chem Clin Biochem. 1986; 24(7): 481–95.
30. Pinto P, Alva P, Gowda S, Cojandaraj L. Unveiling the biochemical, physiological and pathological responses to single acute dose of chloroformic extract Murraya koenigii. Toxicol Int. 2025; 12: 35–47.
31. Bhardwaj M, Mani S, Malarvizhi R, Sali VK, Vasanthi HR. Immunomodulatory activity of brown algae Turbinaria ornata derived sulfated polysaccharide on LPS induced systemic inflammation. Phytomedicine. 2021; 89(1): 153615. doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153615
32. Adewale OB, Onasanya A, Anadozie SO, Abu MF, Akintan IA, Ogbole CJ, et al. Evaluation of acute and subacute toxicity of aqueous extract of Crassocephalum rubens leaves in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2016; 188: 153–8. doi.org/10.1016/ j.jep.2016.05.003
33. Lemes AC, Egea MB, Oliveira Filho JG de, Gautério GV, Ribeiro BD, Coelho MAZ. Biological approaches for extraction of bioactive compounds from Agro-industrial by-products: A Review. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022; 9(2): 802543. doi.org/ 10.3389/fbioe.2021.802543
34. Azad SAK, Jeyaprakash K. Studies on Ethanolic Extract of Brown Seaweed Turbinaria ornata from Coastal Area of Tamil Nadu: In vitro Antioxidant and Anticancer Properties. Asian Journal of Chemistry. 2022; 34(3): 668–72.
35. Ponnan A, Ramu K, Marudhamuthu M, Marimuthu R, Siva K, Kadarkarai M. Antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer properties of Turbinaria conoides (J. Agardh) Kuetz. Clinical Phytoscience. 2017; 3(1): 1-0. doi.org/ 10.1186/s40816-017-0042-y
36. Mlozi SH, Mmongoyo JA, Chacha M. The in vivo toxicity evaluation of leaf and root methanolic extracts of Tephrosia vogelii Hook.f using animal model. Clinical Phytoscience. 2020; 6: 73. doi.org/ 10.1186/s40816-020-00216-6
37. Agbaje EO, Adeneye AA, Daramala AO. Biochemical and toxicological studies of aqueous extract of Syzigium Aromaticum (l.) Merr. and Perry (Myrtaceae) in rodents. Afr J Trad Compliment Altern Med. 2009; 6(3): 241-54. doi.org/ 10.4314/ajtcam. v6i3.57162
38. Gowda S, Desai PB, Kulkarni SS, Hull V V, Math AAK, Vernekar SN. Markers of renal function tests. N Am J Med Sci. 2010; 2(4): 170.
39. Kumar S, Kumar Y, Khan M S Y, Anbu J, Sam K G. Acute toxicity study and antipyretic effect of the brown alga Turbinaria Conoides (j. Agardh) kuetz. Afr J Trad Compliment Altern Med. 2009; 6(3): 233-40.
40. Banu Azeez T, Banu AT, Umamageswari S. Toxicity study of seaweeds in rat. Cont J Food Sci Technol. 2011; 5(2): 23-31.
41. Ramu S, Murali A, Narasimhaiah G, Jayaraman A. Toxicological evaluation of Sargassum Wightii greville derived fucoidan in wistar rats: Haematological, biochemical and histopathological evidences. Toxicol Rep. 2020; 1(7): 874–82. doi.org/ 10.1016/ j.toxrep.2020.07.009