@article {2594, title = {Subchronic Toxicity Assessment of Arsenic-Contaminated Rice Following Repeated Oral Administration in Wistar Rats}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Journal}, volume = {18}, year = {2026}, month = {April 2026}, pages = {82-93}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {82}, abstract = {

Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid with well-established toxic and carcinogenic properties, and dietary exposure through rice (Oryza sativa L.) represents a significant public health concern, particularly in populations with high rice consumption. Flooded paddy cultivation increases arsenic bioavailability, facilitating its accumulation in rice grains. While chemical monitoring and risk assessment indices are commonly used to estimate arsenic exposure, these approaches provide limited insight into the biological effects of long-term consumption. This study aimed to evaluate the subchronic toxicity of arseniccontaminated rice using a 90-day oral exposure model in Wistar rats, focusing on toxicological endpoints relevant to food safety assessment. Rice samples were selected using a conservative worst-case exposure strategy based on inductively coupled plasma{\textendash}mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) arsenic profiling across several regencies in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Red, brown, and white rice samples with the highest arsenic concentrations in their respective categories were administered orally to female Wistar rats at doses of 8.1, 16.2, and 24.3 g/kg body weight per day for 90 consecutive days. A negative control group received 0.5\% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium, while a positive control group received inorganic arsenic (0.3 mg/kg body weight). Clinical signs, body-weight changes, hematological parameters, serum biochemical markers of hepatic and renal function, and histopathological alterations in the liver and kidneys were evaluated. No mortality or severe clinical toxicity was observed in rice-treated groups. Bodyweight gain, relative organ weights, hematological indices, and renal biomarkers remained comparable to controls. Mild elevations in hepatic enzymes and focal hepatocellular alterations were observed only at the highest brown rice dose. In conclusion, subchronic oral exposure to arsenic-contaminated rice resulted in minimal systemic toxicity under the conditions tested, with the liver identified as the primary target organ at higher exposure levels. These findings provide biologically relevant evidence to support food safety evaluation of arsenic-contaminated rice.

}, keywords = {Arsenic, Histopathology, Rat, Rice, Subchronic Toxicity}, doi = {10.5530/pj.2026.18.120}, author = {Christica Ilsanna Surbakti and Jansen Silalahi and Anayanti Arianto and Urip Harahap} } @article {1167, title = {Isolation, Identification Similarity and Qualitative Expression of Metallothionein Gene in IR-Bagendit Rice (Oryza sativa)}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Journal}, volume = {12}, year = {2020}, month = {June 2020}, pages = {709-715}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {709}, abstract = {

Metallothionein (MTs) is an enzyme that plays a role in the binding of metals in plants. Various types of rice have been known to contain MTs and IR-Bagendit rice leaves have the highest MTs protein content compared to other rice varieties. However, MTs coding gene in IRBagendit rice variety is still unknown. OsRAC1 gene is reported as the down-regulator of MTs and there is an analogous gene for MTs-like gene using RAP1 and RAP2 primers in various plants. This study aimed to isolate, identification of similarity, and analysis of qualitative expression of MTs gene in IR-Bagendit rice as compared to Inpari, IR-36, and IR-34. The steps of this research were DNA isolation, PCR in OsRAC1 gene, RNA isolation and cDNA reverse transcription using primer RP1 and RP2, and agarose gel electrophoresis. Amplification quality of OsRAC1 gene in IR-Bagendit, Inpari, IR-36, and IR-34 showed the same result. Qualitative expression of MTs by reverse transcription showed that IR-Bagendit has the highest MTs-like gene compared to other samples.

}, keywords = {IR-Bagendit, Metal Exposure, Metallothionein, MTs-like gene, Rice}, doi = {10.5530/pj.2020.12.103}, author = {Budi Santosa and Budi Santosa and Aprilia Indah Kartika and Fitri Nuroini and Aditya Rahman Ernanto and Annisa Ayuningtyas and Mohd Nazil Salleh and Siti Thomas Zulaikhah} } @article {334, title = {Antioxidant Activity, Biochemical Components and Sub-Chronic Toxicity of Different Brown Rice Kefir Powders}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Journal}, volume = {9}, year = {2017}, month = {April 2017 }, pages = {388-394}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {388}, abstract = {

Aims: This study aimed to investigate and compare antioxidant activity, biochemical components and subchronic toxicity of brown rice kefir powder from three different coloured rice varieties; Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDMLKP, white), Red Hawm (RHKP, red), and Hawm Nil (HNKP, dark purple), with cow milk kefir powder (CMKP). Medthods: Antioxidant activity performed by using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and 2, 2\´-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Biochemical components values including gamma-aminobutyric acid and alpha-tocopherol were determined using high performance liquid chromatography, but total phenolic compounds was detemined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Sub-chronic toxicity test, KDMLKP, RHKP and HNKP at the doses of 150 mg/kg were given orally to the rats every day for 90 days. Results: Antioxidant activity showed that brown rice kefir powders were significantly (p\≤0.05) higher than cow milk kefir powder. Interestingly, HNKP provided the highest FRAB value and the lowest IC50 of DPPH assay. HNKP had also the highest biochemical component values. Repeat administration of KDMLKP, RHKP and HNKP did not produce any symptoms of sub-chronic toxicity; mortality, hematological values, and blood biochemistry in the rats. Moreover, RHKP produced HDL increasing without CHO, TG and LDL changing in rats. Conclusions: These data indicate that brown rice kefir powders show no sub-chronic toxicity and exhibit more antioxidant activity and biochemical component values than cow milk kefir powder. Surprisingly, RHKP showed HDL increasing while HNKP had the highest potent antioxidant activity and biochemical components. Thus, both rice kefir powders are safe and probably a new biochemical resource for health.

{\textquoteleft}}, keywords = {antioxidant activity, Biochemical Components, Brown Rice Kefir Powder, Rice, Sub-Chronic Toxicity}, doi = {10.5530/pj.2017.3.66}, url = {/files/PJ-9-3/10.5530pj.2017.3.66}, author = {Supaporn Chunchom and Chusri Talubmook and Sirirat Deeseenthum} }