Eurycoma longifolia-Infused Coffee-An Oral Toxicity Study

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Herbal Medicine Safety
• Food Science

Background:

• Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat ali - TA) infused coffee is popular in Malaysia.
• Safety evaluations are needed for herbal-enhanced food products.
• Concerns exist regarding the long-term effects of TA consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the acute, subacute, and chronic toxicity of a commercial Tongkat ali (TA) coffee.
• To determine the safety profile and no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of TA coffee in Sprague Dawley rats.
• To evaluate the effects of varying dosages on physiological and biochemical parameters.

Main Methods:

• Administration of TA coffee at different dosages (0.005-2 g/kg BW) to rats for acute, subacute, and chronic studies.
• Monitoring of in-life parameters: food/water intake, body weight, and clinical observations.
• Hematology, clinical biochemistry, and full necropsy analyses were performed.

Main Results:

• No significant toxicity-related changes in food/water intake or body weight were observed.
• Microscopic examination of organs revealed no abnormalities.
• Adverse effects included decreased platelet counts in males and elevated renal/liver/lipid profiles in some groups at specific doses, without a clear dose-response relationship.

Conclusions:

• The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for the commercial TA coffee was determined to be 1 g/kg BW.
• While some biochemical changes occurred, they suggest an initial safety indication within the tested dosage range.
• Further research may be warranted to fully elucidate the long-term implications of TA coffee consumption.