Safety assessment of Scabiosa ucranica L.: Elemental analysis and acute oral toxicity in rats

Scabiosa ucranica L. is lacking in thorough phytochemical and toxicological assessment. The scientific evaluation of medicinal plants is essential for safety. This research studied the safety profile of S. ucranica using elemental composition analysis and acute oral toxicity testing of its ethyl acetate (AE) and methanolic (AM) extracts in Sprague Dawley rats. Proximate analysis and the quantification of 53 elements (ICP-MS/OES) were conducted on the entire plant. An acute toxicity study (OECD 423) administered a single limit dosage of 5000 mg/kg, observing rats for 14 days, followed by biochemical, organ weight, and histological evaluations. The plant exhibited low moisture content (4.50 %) and ash content (6.39 %); hazardous components remained below acceptable levels. No mortality or clinical toxicity was observed (LD50 > 5000 mg/kg). Significant increases in creatinine (p < 0.0001) and decreases in total protein (p < 0.001, AE) were seen, accompanied by changes in relative organ weights, despite the absence of histological damage. S. ucranica demonstrates minimal acute toxicity; nonetheless, biochemical alterations indicate functional implications, necessitating sub-chronic investigations.