Investigating safety of long-term use of anti-inflammatory agent based on picea abies mega-strobile extract

UDC: 
615.076.9
DOI: 
10.21668/health.risk/2026.1.13.eng
Authors: 

D.K. Gulyaev1, D.Yu. Apushkin1,2, А.I. Andreev1,2, Yu.V. Melanina1, K.Е. Yakushina1, V.D. Belonogova1, N.I. Gulyaeva3, N.P. Loginova3, P.S. Mashchenko1,2, D.О. Semakin1

Organization: 

1Perm State Pharmaceutical Academy, 2 Polevaya Str., Perm, 614990, Russian Federation
2Perm State National Research University, 15 Bukireva Str., Perm, 614068, Russian Federation
3Academician E.A. Vagner’s Perm State Medical University, 26 Petropavlovskaya Str., Perm, 614000, Russian Federation

Abstract: 

The article focuses on establishing risks of side reactions caused by using aqueous extract of Picea abies mega-strobiles for three months and provides histological results for internal organs obtained in an experiment.

The aim of this study was to establish safety of aqueous extract of Picea abies mega-strobiles by estimating its effect on various organs and tissues of experimental animals in a sub-chronic toxicity test.

Picea abies mega-strobiles were harvested on the territory of the Perm region in the Russian Federation in a fir tree forest with green moss and grass cover. Dry aqueous extract was obtained according to the original patented method. An experiment was conducted using white outbred Wistar rats of both sexes. The analyzed extract was administered daily for three months. Distilled water was administered in the control animal group as equivalent stress exposure. The element structure of bone samples was established using x-ray fluorescence with an energy-dispersion x-ray fluorescent spectrometer. Heart, kidneys, stomach and small intestine were extracted from the experimental animals for microscopic examination.

Chronic oral administration of aqueous extract of Picea abies mega-strobiles into healthy inflammation-free rats did not cause any changes in their behavior, mucosa or fur as confirmed by comparative analysis of the indicators between the test and control animal groups, the latter not exposed to the extract. Histology of the gastrointestinal organs (stomach and small intestine) did not find any differences between the test and control groups; no differences were found between male and female rats in the test group either. The experiment did not establish any toxic effects produced on the heart or kidneys by aqueous extract of Picea abies mega-strobiles. The results obtained by analyzing rats’ stomach and small intestine as well as heart and kidneys indicate absence of any significant differences between the test and control group. The analysis of the bone element structure revealed a trend for growing levels of calcium and phosphor in rat bones in the test group (exposed to aqueous extract of Picea abies mega-strobiles).

These findings make it possible to conclude that use of aqueous extract of Picea abies mega-strobiles at the dose of 12 mg/kg for 12 weeks did not cause any significant impairment either in mucosa, fur, or internal organs of experimental animals.

Keywords: 
mega-strobiles, Picea abies, aqueous extract, administration, chronic toxicity, histology, bioimpedance analysis, bone elements
Gulyaev D.K., Apushkin D.Yu., Andreev А.I., Melanina Yu.V., Yakushina K.Е., Belonogova V.D., Gulyaeva N.I., Loginova N.P., Mashchenko P.S., Semakin D.О. Investigating safety of long-term use of anti-inflammatory agent based on picea abies mega-strobile extract. Health Risk Analysis, 2026, no. 1, pp. 134–146. DOI: 10.21668/health.risk/2026.1.13.eng
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Received: 
24.11.2025
Approved: 
05.02.2026
Accepted for publication: 
26.03.2026

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