Studies on the pharmacological potential of starfish <i>Luidia maculata</i> using acute oral toxicity, <i>in vivo</i> anti-nociceptive, locomotor, and <i>in vitro</i> cytotoxic activities

In the present study, starfish (<i>Luidia maculata</i>) specimens were collected from bycatch trash fish at a fish landing center, and their pharmacological and cytotoxic potentials were evaluated through acute oral toxicity, <i>in vivo</i> anti-nociceptive and locomotor assays, as well as <i>in vitro</i> cytotoxicity assay. The crude ethanol extract from starfish <i>L. maculata</i> was purified by liquid-liquid partition chromatography using cyclohexane and n-butanol was used to determine the acute oral toxicity (LD₅₀) and a histopathological examination of the rat. In acute oral toxicity studies, an LD₅₀ value of 33.33 % of mortality was observed at 2000 mg/kg per oral dosage of the extract. Oral administration extract (2000 mg/kg) revealed significant histopathological alterations in tissues when compared to the control rats. Both in thermal and chemical-induced analgesic methods, administered extract (400 mg/kg bw) showed the maximum analgesic activity. In the tail flick method, the high dose of the extract significantly elevated the pain threshold throughout the observation period, with all groups showing increased pain tolerance over time. In locomotor activity, the highest percentage reduction (91.16 %) was observed in group IV animals after 90 min of administration, which showed the potent CNS depressant activity of the extract. The extract exhibited significant cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells with a low IC₅₀ of 6.51 µg. Hence, the result of the present study showed the anti-nociceptive, CNS depressant cytotoxic properties of starfish <i>L. maculata.</i>