Studies on the pharmacological potential of starfish Luidia maculata using acute oral toxicity, in vivo anti-nociceptive, locomotor, and in vitro cytotoxic activities
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Suguna Anbukkarasu
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Bragadeeswaran Subramanian
Abstract
In the present study, starfish (Luidia maculata) specimens were collected from bycatch trash fish at a fish landing center, and their pharmacological and cytotoxic potentials were evaluated through acute oral toxicity, in vivo anti-nociceptive and locomotor assays, as well as in vitro cytotoxicity assay. The crude ethanol extract from starfish L. maculata was purified by liquid–liquid partition chromatography using cyclohexane and n-butanol was used to determine the acute oral toxicity (LD50) and a histopathological examination of the rat. In acute oral toxicity studies, an LD50 value of 33.33 % of mortality was observed at 2000 mg/kg per oral dosage of the extract. Oral administration extract (2000 mg/kg) revealed significant histopathological alterations in tissues when compared to the control rats. Both in thermal and chemical-induced analgesic methods, administered extract (400 mg/kg bw) showed the maximum analgesic activity. In the tail flick method, the high dose of the extract significantly elevated the pain threshold throughout the observation period, with all groups showing increased pain tolerance over time. In locomotor activity, the highest percentage reduction (91.16 %) was observed in group IV animals after 90 min of administration, which showed the potent CNS depressant activity of the extract. The extract exhibited significant cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells with a low IC50 of 6.51 µg. Hence, the result of the present study showed the anti-nociceptive, CNS depressant cytotoxic properties of starfish L. maculata.
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Research ethics: In the study, the guideline about the Institutional Ethical Committee Reg.No:160/1999/CPCSEA/Proposal No.1048 (dated 29.11.2013), Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital, Annamalai University, India.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: Conceptualization, methodology, software, S.A. and P.K. investigation and data curation, B.S. resources, R.V. writing – original draft preparation, S.A. and P.K. writing – review and editing, R.V. visualization, supervision, B.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: Not applicable.
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Conflict of interest: Authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: Not applicable.
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Data availability: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
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