Subchronic (13-week) oral toxicity of neohesperidin dihydrochalcone in rats

Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone was administered to groups of 20 male and 20 female Wistar rats at dietary levels of 0, 0.2, 1.0 and 5.0% for 91 days. No treatment-related ophthalmoscopical, haematological or histopathological effects were observed. In the high-dose group, a marked caecal enlargement occurred in both sexes, accompanied by soft stools in the early stages of the study, somewhat lower plasma urea concentrations and increased plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and a decreased urinary pH. This group also showed slight growth depression accompanied by transient reduction in food intake; in males the body weights remained relatively low throughout the experimental period. Furthermore, bilirubin level was increased in females and total protein level was decreased in males of the high-dose group. The above changes were considered adaptive responses or chance effects rather than manifestations of clear toxicity. The low-and intermediate- dose groups did not show any compound-related untoward effect. It was concluded that the intermediate dose, providing an overall intake of about 750 mg neohesperidin dihydrochalcone per kg body weight per day, was the no-effect level.