Toxicological profile of new biologically active substances – lithium and magnesium tartrategermanates
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background. One of the most promising ways for development of new potential medical agents is to combine metal ions with bioligands that are derivatives of natural metabolites, in particular organic acids, which may be accompanied by an increase in the range of pharmacological effects, the occurrence of mutual potentiation of effects, and decreasing of their toxicity. This is a route how magnesium and lithium tartrate germinates – coordinated compounds of germanium with tartaric acid and magnesium and lithium, were previously synthesized. Previous studies have shown that these compounds have sedative, anxiolytic, and antidepressant effects. Purpose – was to study of the toxicological profile of lithium and magnesium tartrate germanates, which includes toxicity parameters for animals and the human body. Materials and Methods. The study of acute toxicity of biologically active substances (BAS) was performed on Wistar rats male weighing 180–220 g. Acute toxicity was studied using traditional methods, and the hazard indices of acute poisoning were determined as well. Extrapolation of the obtained parameters to humans was carried out using constants of biological activity. Results. It was found that magnesium tartrate germanate belongs to almost non-toxic substances (class V) with LD50=2836.97±382.38 mg/kg, while lithium tartrate germanate belongs to low-toxic compounds (class IV) with LD50=832.42±132.02 mg/kg. Thus, replacing magnesium with lithium led to an increase in toxicity by 3.4 times. The toxic zones of the compounds have a wide range, which witnesses’ safety in case of parenteral administration and the absence of the risk of acute poisoning. Variability data (slope function was 1.61 and 1.89) show that both compounds do not have a potential and real danger of fatal poisoning, which corresponds to the parameters of absolute and acute toxicity, the total toxicity index. Analysis of the results of extrapolation of experimental data on humans showed that the compounds are non-toxic or minor toxicity for humans, for magnesium tartrate germanate LD50=446.71±60.21 mg/kg, and for lithium tartrate germanate LD50=131.07±20.79 mg/ kg. The data correlate with the indicators of acute poisoning hazard for humans. The therapeutic index of tranquilizing action (relative to LD50) was 80.0 and 79.96 that showed safety of usage and low risk of undesirable effects development. Conclusions. The obtained data of the toxicological profile of magnesium tartrate germanate and lithium tartrate germanate showed non-toxicity or low toxicity of the compounds as well as safety of their usage for animals and humans. The promising characteristics of the compounds underlines the necessity of further study of pharmacological characteristics and chronic toxicity.
Institution: Odessa National Medical University
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4415242533