Mohammad Reza Abedini - Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Pharmacology, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
Samaneh PAki - Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
Mahtab Mohammadifard - Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
Mohsen Foadoddini - Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
Khadijeh Vazifeshenas-Darmiyan - Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Biochemistry, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
Mehran Hosseini - Cellular and Molecular Research Center,Department of Anatomical Sciences, Birjand University of Medical Sciences

Objective: Cuscuta epithymum (CE) is one of the most popular medicinal plants in the world. However, detailed information about its toxicity is not available. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the safety profile of CE ethanolic extract in vitro and in vivo.Materials and Methods: The extract's in vitro toxicity profile was investigated on normal fibroblast and cervical cancer cells by cytotoxicity test. In the next step, acute oral and intraperitoneal (i.p.) toxicity of the CE extract was evaluated in Wistar rats and BALB/c mice, respectively. Sub-acute oral toxicity was also examined by administering repeated oral doses of the CE extract (۵۰, ۲۰۰, and ۵۰۰ mg/kg) to Wistar rats for ۲۸ days.Results: The CE extract exhibited a significant cytotoxicity on both normal (IC۵۰ ۰.۸۲ mg/ml, p<۰.۰۰۱) and cancer cells (IC۵۰ ۱.۴۲ mg/ml, p<۰.۰۰۱). Acute oral administration of a single dose of CE extract (۱۷۵-۵۰۰۰ mg/kg) did not cause mortality; however, its i.p. administration caused mortality at doses greater than ۷۵ mg/kg (i.p. LD۵۰ ۱۵۴.۸ mg/kg). In the sub-acute toxicity test, no significant effects in terms of weight change, organ weights, blood chemistry, or kidney pathology were observed. However, at ۲۰۰ and ۵۰۰ mg/kg doses, the CE extract significantly increased liver pathological scores compared to the control group (p<۰.۰۵ and p<۰.۰۱, respectively).Conclusion: CE exhibited toxicities in i.p. acute and repeated oral dose administrations. It showed identical cytotoxicity against normal and cancer cells. This herb must be prescribed cautiously by traditional medicine practitioners.

acute toxicity, Cuscuta, Cytotoxicity, Dodder, Sub-acute toxicity