Phytochemical composition and subacute toxicity of ethanolic extract of Eucheuma denticulatum on male Wistar albino rats

Eucheuma denticulatum is a rich source of secondary metabolites with established medicinal importance, including its potential use in diabetes management. The current study was conducted to determine the subacute toxicity and the FTIR and LC-MS analysis of the ethanolic extract of E. denticulatum following repeated exposure, which is of greater therapeutic value. The crude extract of E. denticulatum was prepared using ethanol and administered orally to 4 groups, with each group containing 6 male rats at doses of 300, 600, and 1000 mg/kg, in accordance with the guidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (407) over 28 days. Following this, hematological, biochemical, histopathological, and organ and animal weight parameters were examined to assess the toxicological effects of the macroalgae extract. The macroalgae extract did not induce any significant differences in biochemical parameters or hematological results (P > 0.05). However, basophils, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration showed only slight statistical differences in a dose-dependent manner, and all values remained within normal acceptable ranges. The maximum administered dosage showed slight morphological alterations in the kidneys and liver. Body weights in the treatment groups showed time-dependent increases comparable to those of the control group; however, there were no significant variations in organ weights. The FTIR analysis revealed the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, amides, carboxylic acids, and esters, and LC-MS identified potential biological antidiabetic compounds such as phytol, hexadecenoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Therefore, preventive steps must be considered when using the E. denticulatum extract as a long-term therapeutic application, especially at large doses of 1000 mg/kg b.w.