Extract Standardization and Oral Acute Toxicity Study of Adas (Foeniculum vulgare) Extract on Mice as a Potential COVID-19 Treatment

Abstract

Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) has been an emerging pandemic ever since it arose in late 2019. Flavonoid, a bioactive compound, was mentioned to be able to treat COVID-19. It acts at various stages of viral infection, thus inhibiting viral growth. Adas (Foeniculum vulgarae) is a medicinal plant that is abundant in Indonesia. Adas has been mentioned to be a possible treatment for COVID-19 treatment due to its flavonoid content. In order to ensure its quality and safety as a potential medication, the present study performed a standardization and oral acute toxicity study of adas extract in mice. The standardization and toxicity study was carried out following the Indonesian Ministry of Health and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines, respectively. The findings suggested that the extract fulfilled almost all quality requirements mentioned in Indonesian Herbal Pharmacopeia II. Additionally, based on Globally Harmonized System (GHS) hazard classification, adas was classified into category 4. The present study used doses of 300 mg/kg body weight (BW) and 2000 mg/kg BW and observed behavioral and weight change, toxicity symptoms, as well as gross pathology. The extract manifested evident toxicity at the dose of 2000 mg/kg BW in a form of stress, inflammation, walking and grooming behavior, weight loss, and alterations in the appearance of some organs. The organ aberration was observed through gross necropsy, where the organs affected was the mice’s lung.