Genotoxicity, acute and subchronic toxicity evaluation of fermented Morinda officinalis

Morinda officinalis has diverse pharmacological effects and has the potential to be used as functional food and medicine. Fermentation is traditionally used to process Morinda officinalis. However, the toxicological profile of fermented Morinda officinalis (FMO) is not reported. In the present study, the toxicological characteristics of FMO were assessed for the first time. FMO did not show any genotoxicity based on the Ames test, mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test, and mouse primary spermatocyte chromosome aberration test. FMO administered by gavage in mice and rats at a dose of 20 g/kg BW did not induce death or toxicity based on acute study, indicating that FMO could be regarded as non-toxic at the tested dose. In the 90-day subchronic toxicity study, rats fed with FMO at the maximum dose of 8 g/kg BW did not affect mortalities, BW, food consumption, organ weights, hematology, serum biochemistry, or urinalysis. The no observed adverse effect level of FMO in both sexes was not less than 8 g/kg BW/day based on subchronic toxicity. The obtained results support the safe use of FMO as functional food and medicine.