EFSA Compendium of Botanicals

Draft - work in progress

Palmyra palm (as plant) // Borassus flabellifer L.

Family:: Arecaceae
Approval state:: Approved
Number of articles retrieved:: 299
Number of processed references:: 8

Compositions

#1: saponins #2: Tannins (phlobotannins) #3: alkaloids #4: flabelliferins (steroidal saponins) #5: Spyrsostane-type steroidal saponins (borassosides A-F) #6: Dioscin (steroidal saponin) #7: Borassoside D

Endpoint Studies

#1: Chronic hepatotoxicity #2: Carcinogen #3: neurotoxic effect (muscle in-coordination, spasms and immobility of hind limbs) shown after high levels of palmyrah flour consumption. Up to death whten increasing the % of palmyrah flour in the diet #4: Immunotoxicity with 7-day dietary exposure of 75%-palmyrah flour

Genotoxicity

#1: mutagenic effect

Composition #1: Aguzue, Onyinye Chinelo., Akanji, Fausat Temilola., Tafida, Muazu Abubakar., Kamal, Muhammed Jamal., Abdulahi, Surajo Habibu. Comparative chemical constituents of some desert fruits in Northern Nigeria. Archives of Applied Science Research, 2012, p. 1061–1064. .

Language:

English (en)
Plant part:

Fruit unspecified (as part-nature) (A067D)
Extraction/Preparation method:

Solvent extraction (A0BZR)
Additional extraction description:

water
Substance:

Saponins (RF-00004333-PAR)
Analytical method code:

Phytochemical screening (F604A)
Yes/No Qualitative:

Positive/Present (POS)
Result type:

Qualitative Value (Binary) (BIN)
Internal remarks:

saponins

Composition #2: Aguzue, Onyinye Chinelo., Akanji, Fausat Temilola., Tafida, Muazu Abubakar., Kamal, Muhammed Jamal., Abdulahi, Surajo Habibu. Comparative chemical constituents of some desert fruits in Northern Nigeria. Archives of Applied Science Research, 2012, p. 1061–1064. .

Language:

English (en)
Plant part:

Fruit unspecified (as part-nature) (A067D)
Extraction/Preparation method:

Solvent extraction (A0BZR)
Additional extraction description:

water
Substance:

Tannins (RF-00004337-PAR)
Additional substance description:

phlobotannins
Analytical method code:

Phytochemical screening (F604A)
Yes/No Qualitative:

Positive/Present (POS)
Result type:

Qualitative Value (Binary) (BIN)
Internal remarks:

Tannins (phlobotannins)

Composition #3: Aguzue, Onyinye Chinelo., Akanji, Fausat Temilola., Tafida, Muazu Abubakar., Kamal, Muhammed Jamal., Abdulahi, Surajo Habibu. Comparative chemical constituents of some desert fruits in Northern Nigeria. Archives of Applied Science Research, 2012, p. 1061–1064. .

Language:

English (en)
Plant part:

Fruit unspecified (as part-nature) (A067D)
Extraction/Preparation method:

Solvent extraction (A0BZR)
Additional extraction description:

water
Substance:

Alkaloids (RF-00004360-PAR)
Analytical method code:

Phytochemical screening (F604A)
Yes/No Qualitative:

Positive/Present (POS)
Result type:

Qualitative Value (Binary) (BIN)
Internal remarks:

alkaloids

Composition #4: Jansz, E.R., Wickremasekara, N.T., Sumuduni, K.A.V. A review of the chemistry and biochemistry of seed shoot flour and fruit pulp of the palmyrah palm (borassus flabellifer L). journal of the national science foundation of sri lanka, 2002, vol. 30, no. 1-2, p. 61–87. .

Language:

English (en)
Plant part:

Seed (as part-nature) (A066P)
Extraction/Preparation method:

Solvent extraction (A0BZR)
Additional extraction description:

Methanol
Substance:

Flabelliferins (RF-00010838-PAR)
Additional substance description:

Flabelliferins I & II, Flabelliferins B-F and Flabelliferin N
Analytical method code:

Unspecified (F598A)
Result unit:

Milligram/100 gram (G057A)
Result type:

Numerical Value (VAL)
Value (concentration, content):

0.15-0.40
Internal remarks:

flabelliferins (steroidal saponins)

Composition #5: Yoshikawa, Masayuki., Xu, Fengming., Morikawa, Toshio., Pongpiriyadacha, Yutana., Nakamura, Seikou., Asao, Yasunobu., Kumahara, Akira., Matsuda, Hisashi. Medicinal flowers. XII. New spirostane-type steroid Saponins with antidiabetogenic activity from Borassus flabellifer. CHEMICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN, 2007, vol. 55, no. 2, p. 308–316. DOI: 10.1248/cpb.55.308. [DOI link]

Language:

English (en)
Plant part:

Flower (as part-nature) (A067B)
Extraction/Preparation method:

Solvent extraction (A0BZR)
Additional extraction description:

methanolic
Substance:

Steroidal spirostane saponins Steroidal spirostane saponins (RF-00004321-PAR)
Additional substance description:

Borassosides A-F
Analytical method code:

Standard Chromatographic tests (paper- thin layer- and column chromatography) (F016A)
Yes/No Qualitative:

Positive/Present (POS)
Result type:

Qualitative Value (Binary) (BIN)
Internal remarks:

Spyrsostane-type steroidal saponins (borassosides A-F)

Composition #6: Yoshikawa, Masayuki., Xu, Fengming., Morikawa, Toshio., Pongpiriyadacha, Yutana., Nakamura, Seikou., Asao, Yasunobu., Kumahara, Akira., Matsuda, Hisashi. Medicinal flowers. XII. New spirostane-type steroid Saponins with antidiabetogenic activity from Borassus flabellifer. CHEMICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN, 2007, vol. 55, no. 2, p. 308–316. DOI: 10.1248/cpb.55.308. [DOI link]

Language:

English (en)
Plant part:

Flower (as part-nature) (A067B)
Extraction/Preparation method:

Solvent extraction (A0BZR)
Additional extraction description:

methanolic
Substance:

dioscin (RF-00003782-PAR)
Additional substance description:

steoidal saponin
Analytical method code:

Standard Chromatographic tests (paper- thin layer- and column chromatography) (F016A)
Yes/No Qualitative:

Positive/Present (POS)
Result type:

Qualitative Value (Binary) (BIN)
Internal remarks:

Dioscin (steroidal saponin)

Composition #7: Yoshikawa, Masayuki., Xu, Fengming., Morikawa, Toshio., Pongpiriyadacha, Yutana., Nakamura, Seikou., Asao, Yasunobu., Kumahara, Akira., Matsuda, Hisashi. Medicinal flowers. XII. New spirostane-type steroid Saponins with antidiabetogenic activity from Borassus flabellifer. CHEMICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN, 2007, vol. 55, no. 2, p. 308–316. DOI: 10.1248/cpb.55.308. [DOI link]

Language:

English (en)
Plant part:

Flower (as part-nature) (A067B)
Extraction/Preparation method:

Solvent extraction (A0BZR)
Additional extraction description:

methanolic
Substance:

Borassoside D (RF-00011454-PAR)
Analytical method code:

Standard Chromatographic tests (paper- thin layer- and column chromatography) (F016A)
Yes/No Qualitative:

Positive/Present (POS)
Result type:

Qualitative Value (Binary) (BIN)
Internal remarks:

Borassoside D

Endpoint study #1: Panabokke, R.G., Arseculeratne, S.N. Veno occlusive lesions in the liver of rats after prolonged feeding with Palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) flour. British Journal of Experimental Pathology, 1976, vol. 57, no. 2, p. 189–199. .

Study relevance:

Human health
Plant part:

Shoot (as part-nature) (A067T)
Preparation/Extraction method:

Powder (A06JD)
Type of toxicological test:

chronic/long term toxicity (CHD004TT)
Tested organism:

Rat (as animal) (A0CNV)
Strain of test organism:

Wistar (CHD013ST)
Sex:

Male
Route of exposure:

ORAL: FEED (OECD2230PL)
Exposure duration:

12.0
Unit of exposure duration:

Month (G206A)
Number of organisms dosed:

66
Control groups used:

yes
Endpoint measured:

Dose not reported (CHD066EP)
Critical effect:

HEPATOTOXICITY (TOX02A)
Target tissue:

digestive: Liver (TT023A)
Effect description:

chronic hepatic lesions which included intraluminal fibrosis of the centrilobular and portal veins, bile duct proliferation, increase of reticulin and fibrosis.
Effect or parameter linked to the endpoint:

histopathology non neoplastic (CHD025BE)
Internal remarks:

Chronic hepatotoxicity

Endpoint study #2: Arseculartne, S N. The toxicology of palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) flour.. the ceylon medical journal, 1991, vol. 36, no. 4, p. 137–40. .

Study relevance:

Human health
Plant part:

Shoot (as part-nature) (A067T)
Preparation/Extraction method:

Powder (A06JD)
Type of toxicological test:

chronic/long term toxicity (CHD004TT)
Tested organism:

Rat (as animal) (A0CNV)
Sex:

No data
Route of exposure:

ORAL: FEED (OECD2230PL)
Exposure duration:

7.0
Unit of exposure duration:

Month (G206A)
Endpoint measured:

Concentration level (CHD013EP)
Concentration unit:

Percent (G138A)
Effect concentration:

25
Critical effect:

Other toxicities (TOX19A)
Effect description:

development of malignant lymphomas of lymphoid cell maturation, distributed intraabdominally as well as in pulmonary, thymic and other sites. Lymphomas occurred in some rats which were the progeny of rats fed on the flour during pregnancy
Effect or parameter linked to the endpoint:

Carcinogenic (CHD036BE)
Internal remarks:

Carcinogen

Endpoint study #3: Sumudunie, KAV., Jansz, ER., Jayasekera, S., Wickramasinghe, SMDN. The neurotoxic effect of palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) flour re-visited. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCES AND NUTRITION, 2004, vol. 55, no. 8, p. 607–614. DOI: 10.1080/09637480412331350164. [DOI link]

Study relevance:

Human health
Plant part:

Shoot (as part-nature) (A067T)
Preparation/Extraction method:

Solvent extraction (A0BZR)
Additional plant/substance description:

methanol
Type of toxicological test:

short-term toxicity (CHD017TT)
Tested organism:

Rat (as animal) (A0CNV)
Sex:

Male
Route of exposure:

ORAL: FEED (OECD2230PL)
Number of organisms dosed:

6
Control groups used:

yes
Endpoint measured:

Dose level (CHD014EP)
Concentration unit:

Percent (G138A)
Effect concentration:

50
Critical effect:

NEUROTOXICITY (TOX04A)
Target tissue:

neurologic: Central Nervous System (TT035A)
Effect description:

neurotoxic effect (muscle in-coordination, spasms and immobility of hind limbs) shown after high levels of palmyrah flour consumption.
Effect or parameter linked to the endpoint:

mortality (CHD010BE)
Internal remarks:

neurotoxic effect (muscle in-coordination, spasms and immobility of hind limbs) shown after high levels of palmyrah flour consumption. Up to death whten increasing the % of palmyrah flour in the diet

Endpoint study #4: ARSECULERATNE, SN., GREIG, JB., SIRISINHA, S. THE IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE EFFECT OF PALMYRAH (BORASSUS-FLABELLIFER) FLOUR IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ITS NEUROTOXIC FRACTION . asian pacific journal of allergy and immunology, 1984, vol. 2, no. 1, p. 13–16. .

Study relevance:

Human health
Plant part:

Shoot (as part-nature) (A067T)
Preparation/Extraction method:

Powder (A06JD)
Type of toxicological test:

short-term toxicity (CHD017TT)
Tested organism:

Rat (as animal) (A0CNV)
Sex:

Male
Route of exposure:

ORAL: FEED (OECD2230PL)
Exposure duration:

7.0
Unit of exposure duration:

Day (G134A)
Control groups used:

yes
Endpoint measured:

Concentration level (CHD013EP)
Concentration unit:

Percent (G138A)
Effect concentration:

75
Critical effect:

IMMUNOTOXICITY (TOX09A)
Effect description:

ignificant depression of the lymphoproliferative response ( LPR) of peripheral blood lymphocytes
Effect or parameter linked to the endpoint:

immunology (CHD026BE)
Internal remarks:

Immunotoxicity with 7-day dietary exposure of 75%-palmyrah flour

Genotox #1: ANDERSEN, PH., POULSEN, E. MUTAGENICITY OF FLOUR FROM THE PALMYRAH PALM BORASSUS-FLABELLIFER) IN SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM AND ESCHERICHIA-COLI. CANCER LETTERS, 1985, vol. 26, no. 1, p. 113–119. DOI: 10.1016/0304-3835(85)90179-X. [DOI link]

Study category:

Mutagenicity
Type of toxicological test:

in vitro (CHD061TT)
Method type:

in vitro
Guideline used:

According to
Tested organism:

Escherichia coli (as organism) (A0CQA)
Sex:

No data
Exogenous metabolic activation applied:

no data
Control groups used:

yes
Is genotoxic:

Ambiguous
Remarks on genotox study:

Both raw and processed flour induced statistically significant increased numbers of revertants in the Salmonella and E. Coli tested strains. Flour from boiled palmyrah shoots exerted a stronger mutagenic effect than flour from the raw shoots
Internal remarks:

mutagenic effect
Internal ID:

WOS:A1985AEB0700015