In the scientific community, there is a growing interest in Tamarindus indica L. leaves, both as a valuable nutrient and as a functional food. This paper focuses on exploring its safety and antioxidant properties. A tamarind leaf fluid extract (TFE) wholly characterised was evaluated for its anti-DPPH activity (IC50 = 44.36 μg/mL) and its reducing power activity (IC50 = 60.87 μg/mL). TFE also exhibited a high ferrous ion-chelating capacity, with an estimated binding constant of 1.085 mol L(-1) while its influence over nitric oxide production in human leucocytes was irregular. At low concentrations, TFE stimulated NO output, but it significantly inhibited it when there was an increase in concentration. TFE was also classified as a non-toxic substance in two toxicity tests: the acute oral toxicity test and the oral mucous irritability test. Further toxicological assays are needed, although results so far suggest that TFE might become a functional dietary supplement.
P. alliacea powder from stems and leaves was classed in the hazard category 5 (LD > 2000mg/kg) according to the acute toxicology study. There were no toxicity signs at 1000mg/kg in the repeated dose study, although higher values of total leukocytes were found in the satellite and males of the experimental group, which were attributed to the immunomodulatory properties of this plant. According to GC-MS, the prevailing compounds identified were phytol, (R)-(-)-(Z)-14-methyl-8-hexadecen-1-ol, 1-(2-hydrohyethyl)-1,2,4-triazole and methyl β-dimethylaminoisobutyrate. In conclusion, the oral administration of the P. alliacea powder to Sprague Dawley rats did not result in deaths and was not associated with adverse effects reflected in the general condition, body weights or histopathological abnormalities.
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