Safety evaluations and lipid-lowering activity of an Arthrospira platensis enriched diet: A 1-month study in rats

Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis) is worldwide consumed as dietary supplement, but its use in the form of whole biomass for food purposes may raise toxicity concerns. The aim of this study was to preliminarily evaluate the safety of an A. platensis F & M-C256-enriched diet (20% (weight/weight) corresponding to 12 g/kg body weight/day), administered to rats for 1 month. A. platensis F & M-C256-enriched diet was well tolerated: behavior, body weight, food consumption and growth curves were not affected; no discomfort, no deaths and no physical signs related to the treatment were observed during the administration period; food daily consumption and apparent digestibility were comparable to those of the standard laboratory AIN-76 control diet. Daily water consumption and urine excretion were, on the contrary, significantly higher (27.18 +/- 1.24 vs 21.53 +/- 1.68 ml and 12.63 +/- 0.99 vs 7.00 +/- 1.29 ml respectively), probably because of a slight increase in sodium intake in rats fed A. platensis F & M-C256-enriched diet. Biochemical markers of kidney and liver function were not varied but a significant increase in cholesterol-HDL and a decreased plasma triglycerides level was observed in rats fed A. platensis F & M-C256-enriched diet. These last changes were associated with an increased fecal lipids excretion and liver PPAR-alpha gene expression. These results indicate that A. platensis F & M-C256 is likely safe and well tolerated even at a high dosage in rodents and suggest that it may represent a promising functional food for preventing or even for managing dyslipidemias.