From Nutritional Value to Safety: Sub-Acute Toxicity Assessment of Gnetum gnemon L. Methanolic Leaf Extract in Swiss Albino Mice
Munmi Gogoi
Department of Zoology, Cotton University, Guwahati-781001, India.
Akalesh Kumar Verma
Department of Zoology, Cotton University, Guwahati-781001, India.
Namram Sushindrajit Singh *
Department of Zoology, Cotton University, Guwahati-781001, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: The aim of the study was to estimate the nutrient content, bioactive compounds, and safety of Gnetum gnemon (GG) methanolic leaf extract to determine its usefulness as a functional food source and a therapeutic agent.
Study Design: The experiment consisted of proximate analysis, LC-MS profiling, and in vivo toxicity measurement of Swiss albino mice.
Place and Duration of the Study: The present study is an experimental study conducted in a laboratory in the Department of Zoology, Cotton University, between February 2025 and June 2025.
The Methodology: The methanolic leaf extract of GG was analysed for moisture, protein, fat, fiber, ash, and carbohydrate content.LC-MS was carried out to determine bioactive phytochemicals. To evaluate safety, three mice groups were used, Group I (Control), Group II (200 mg/kg bw) and Group III (400 mg/kg bw) dose of methanolic leaf extract, were assessed for haematological (WBC, RBC, Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, platelets, and PCV) and biochemical (ALT, AST, creatinine, and urea) parameters. Data are represented as mean ± SEM (n = 5) and analysed using one way ANOVA with Bonferroni test; p < .05 value was considered significant.
Data are represented as mean ± SEM (n = 5), and a p < 0.05 value is considered significant.
Results: In this study, proximate analysis of the methanolic leaf extract showed that it has high carbohydrate (85.40 ± 0.50%) and protein levels (17.30 ± 0.30%) and but the extract has low fat (3.05 ± 0.10%) and moisture (65.20 ± 0.25%) contents. Bioactive compounds found in LC-MS analysis were stilbenoids such as resveratrol (m/z 227.13) and gnetin C (m/z 453.30). There were no changes in hematological and biochemical parameters, and no anaemia, immunotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, or nephrotoxicity was found in the mice bodies.
Conclusion: GG methanolic leaf extract is not only nutritionally useful, but it also contains strong biological phytochemicals, is haematologically and biochemically safe, and is useful in nutrition as a functional food and safe therapeutic agent.
Keywords: Gnetum gnemon, LC-MS, nutritional value, Swiss albino mice, toxicity