TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SNAIL MUCINS BIOPOLYMER FOR POSSIBLE BIOMEDICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATIONS

Authors

  • J. Alfa Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Bingham University, Nasarawa State
  • C. I. Okeke Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Bingham University, Nasarawa State
  • A. Hanifah Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto
  • M. O. Okolo Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Prince Abubakar Audu University Ayingba, Kogi state
  • H. M. Saliu Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Prince Abubakar Audu University Ayingba, Kogi state
  • A. Musa Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Prince Abubakar Audu University Ayingba, Kogi state
  • G. Agieni Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Prince Abubakar Audu University Ayingba, Kogi state
  • O. C. Romnus Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Enugu State University of Sciences and Technology, Enugu
  • E. Augustus Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001
  • M. A Mumuni Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001

Keywords:

Snail mucin, Toxicity, Biochemical, Hematological

Abstract

The safety of mucin being a new entrance as drug carrier and cosmetic adjuvant needs to be evaluated for its
biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. The present study investigated the toxicological effect of the extracted
snail mucin on the biochemical and hematological parameters in an animal model. The snail mucin was extracted
using organic and aqueous solvents, and was evaluated based on physical parameters like pH, taste and odor. The
safety of snail mucin after oral administration was evaluated for any changes in biochemical and hematological
indices. There were no obvious changes in the physical, hematological and liver enzyme evaluated after dosing the
animal with mucin suspension. Taken together, oral administration of various extracts of snail mucin shows no
toxicity to any of the parameters evaluated. Overall, the foregoing results suggest that the extracted snail mucin is a
potentially safe and promising approach for biomedical and pharmaceutical application.

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Published

2023-10-31

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 2 (2023)

Section

Articles