In vivo Genotoxicity Evaluation of Hemerocallis fulva Leaf Powder by Micronucleus Assay

In recent years, various factors such as shifts in health consciousness, changes in lifestyle habits, increased focus on dietary intake, the promotion of alternative medical concepts, and advancements in life sciences and technology have propelled the robust growth of the health food industry. An increasing number of reports suggest that "functional foods," containing beneficial functional components, may enhance short-term well-being and are increasingly regarded as healthful. Building upon these findings, this study aims to enhance the production capacity of high-value agricultural products. Hemerocallis fulva has demonstrated multiple functional properties in various studies. Its extracts possess significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which may help mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation-related conditions. Additionally, evidence suggests potential hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and anti-fatigue effects, possibly through the modulation of biochemical pathways and enhancement of cellular resilience. Traditional use and experimental findings also indicate its sedative and anxiolytic potential. These findings support the potential application of H. fulva as a functional ingredient in health-promoting formulations. However, for quality assurance, toxicity assessment of functional foods is imperative. There is a growing necessity to employ in vivo genotoxicity assays to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of these products. In previous study, we have successfully established in vivo genotoxicity evaluation platform via acridine orange induction. In this study, administration of Cyclophosphamide monohydrate (CPP) or H. fulva leaf powder in ICR mice showed no adverse effects on body weight or clinical signs. All animals survived throughout the study. Reticulocyte and micronucleated reticulocyte analyses at 48 and 72 hours post-administration indicated that the negative control group exhibited significantly decreased reticulocyte ratios and increased micronucleus frequencies compared to the normal control group (p < 0.05). In contrast, all H. fulva leaf powder dose groups showed no significant differences from the normal control group (p > 0.05), suggesting that H. fulva leaf powder did not induce hematological toxicity or genotoxicity under the test conditions. Taken all results together, H. fulva leaf powder were without genotoxicity. Therefore, H. fulva leaf powder were safety.