Opuntia ficus indica
and
Pistacia lentiscus
L. seeds are used in traditional medicine. The objective of this study
was to investigate the toxicity of the fixed oil of
Opuntia ficus indica and
Pistacia lentiscus L. seeds in mice through
determination of LD50 values, and also the physicochemical characteristics of the fixed oil of these oils. The acute toxicity of
their fixed oil were also investigated in mice using the method of Kabba and Berhens. The fixed oil of
Pistacia lentiscus and
Opuntia ficus indica seeds were extracted and analyzed for its chemical and physical properties such as acid value, free fatty
acid percentage (% FFA), iodine index, and saponification value as well as refractive index and density. LD
50 values obtained
by single doses, orally and intraperitoneally administered in mice, were respectively 43 ± 0,8 ;[40.7- 45.4 ] ml/kg body wt.
p.o. and 2.72 ± 0,1 ;[2.52–2.92] ml/kg body wt. i.p. for
Opuntia ficus indica ; and 37 ± 1 ;[34.4 – 39.8 ] ml/kg body wt.
p.o. and 2.52 ± 0,2 ;[2.22 – 2.81 ] ml/kg body wt. i.p. for
Pistacia lentiscus respectively. The yields of seed oil were
respectively calculated as 20.25% and 10.41%. The acid and free fatty acid values indicated that the oil has a low acidity
