Preliminary assessment of potential toxicity of methylated soybean protein and methylated β-lactoglobulin in male Wistar rats

•Single dose (10,000 mg/kg body wt) of Methylated protein did not produce mortality.•No apparent effect on the organ weights of rats administered methylated proteins.•Normal histo-pathological images of rat organs administered methylated protein.•Normal levels of serum proteins in the rats administered methylated proteins.•Normal liver and renal functions over 28 days of administering esterified proteins.

Methylated soybean protein (MSP) and methylated β-lactoglobulin (MLG), previously confirmed for their antibacterial and antiviral activities, were tested for their potential toxicity in Wistar male Albino rats as one single dose (2500, 5000 and 10,000 mg/kg body wt) or as repeated daily dose (500 and 2500 mg/kg body wt/day) over 28 days to assess potential toxicity. Single acute administration of very high doses (2500, 5000 and 10,000 mg/kg body wt) of MSP and MLG did not produce any mortality. Changes in body weight, organ weight, hematological parameters, histo-pathological images of selected organs, serum albumin, globulin and albumin/globulin ratio, cholesterol, triglycerides and electrolytes were all within normal amounts in the rats fed with these two methylated proteins and not significantly different from controls. The levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine and urea were slightly reduced by the administration of these two modified proteins indicating the absence of any adverse effect on hepatic or renal functions.