Publication: Acute toxicity of stevioside, a natural sweetener, and its metabolite, steviol, in several animal species
Issued Date
1997-07-24
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ISSN
01480545
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2-s2.0-0030737954
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Drug and Chemical Toxicology. Vol.20, No.1-2 (1997), 31-44
Suggested Citation
C. Toskulkao, L. Chaturat, P. Temcharoen, T. Glinsukon Acute toxicity of stevioside, a natural sweetener, and its metabolite, steviol, in several animal species. Drug and Chemical Toxicology. Vol.20, No.1-2 (1997), 31-44. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/17933
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Title
Acute toxicity of stevioside, a natural sweetener, and its metabolite, steviol, in several animal species
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Abstract
The acute toxicity of stevioside and steviol (a product of enzymatic hydrolysis of stevioside) was investigated in three animal species including rat, mouse and hamster. The susceptibility to stevioside and steviol acute toxicity in both sexes of these animal species was compared. The animals were treated intragastrically with stevioside or steviol and general signs and symptoms were observed. The numbers of dead animals were recorded within a period of 14 days after administration for estimation of LD50. Stevioside at a dose as high as 15 g/kg BW was not lethal to either mice, rats or hamsters. Hamsters were found to be more susceptible to steviol than rats or mice. LD50values of steviol in hamsters were 5.20 and 6.10 g/kg BW for males and females, respectively. In rats and mice, LD50values of steviol were higher than 15 g/kg BW in both sexes. Histopathological examination in the kidney of hamsters induced by steviol revealed severe degeneration of the proximal tubular cells. These structural alterations were correlated with the increases in serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. Therefore, the possible cause of death induced by steviol might be due to acute renal failure.