Physicochemical, Phytochemical, and Toxicological Assessment of Agrimonia pilosa, Calendula arvensis, and Polygonum hydropiper Tinctures with Hypoglycemic Potential

Diabetes mellitus represents a major global health burden, necessitating the development of safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives. Medicinal plants have gained increasing attention due to their bioactive compounds with potential hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects. The present study aimed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics, phytochemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and toxicological profile of hydroalcoholic tinctures obtained from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb., Calendula arvensis L., and Polygonum hydropiper L. The tinctures were prepared by simple percolation using 70% ethanol and evaluated according to pharmacopoeial standards, including organoleptic properties, relative density, refractive index, alcohol content, and purity parameters. Phytochemical analysis was performed using thin-layer chromatography and spectrophotometric methods, highlighting the presence of flavonoids and polyphenolcarboxylic acids, with several bands showing chromatographic and spectral similarities to chlorogenic and caffeic acid standards. Antioxidant activity was assessed through total polyphenol and flavonoid content, with Polygonum hydropiper exhibiting the highest values. The hypoglycemic effect was evaluated using the oral glucose tolerance test in normoglycemic mice, demonstrating significant reductions in blood glucose levels, particularly for Agrimonia pilosa at higher doses. Acute toxicity studies indicated a low toxicity profile, with no mortality observed even at high doses (up to 9 g/kg body weight), corresponding to GHS category 5. However, subacute toxicity assessment revealed species-dependent effects, ranging from minimal hepatic changes for Calendula arvensis to moderate hepatotoxicity for Polygonum hydropiper and more pronounced hepatic, renal, and pancreatic alterations for Agrimonia pilosa. These findings suggest that the investigated tinctures possess significant hypoglycemic and antioxidant potential, with generally favorable safety profiles following acute administration. Nevertheless, prolonged use may induce organ-specific toxicity, highlighting the need for further pharmacological and clinical investigations to establish their therapeutic applicability and safety in diabetes management.