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Evaluation of Acute and Subacute Toxicity Studies of Polyherbal Extract on Rodents
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Background: Cycas circinalis (flowers), Artemisia absinthium (whole plant) and Nardostachys jatamansi (rhizomes) were used traditionally for various ailments, curing diseases and majorly in CNS disorders in the treatment of antidepressant. The objective of this study was to investigate the toxicity of the ethanolic extract of selected herbs on rodents and to screen its antidepressant action in further research.
Materials and Methods: Herbs were mixed equal in proportion and extracted with ethanol. The acute and subacute toxicity studies on ethanolic extract of were carried out to evaluate the safety on rodents. Study on acute toxicity of the ethanolic extract was found to be safe at the dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight orally as per OECD guideline No.423. General behaviour adverse effects and mortality were determined for upto 14 days. In the subacute study, the extract was administered orally at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg once in a week for 6 weeks to rats. Biochemical, haematological and histological parameters were determined after 6 weeks.
Results: In the acute study there was no toxicity/death was observed at the dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight. The onset of toxicity and signs of toxicity was also not there. In subacute study, no significant treatment related changes in the levels of haematological, hepatic and renal parameters were observed at the end of the study. It suggests that the polyherbal ethanolic extract does not appear to have any significant toxicity. Hence, the extract was safe without any toxic symptoms and signs can be further used for the pharmacological screening of antidepressant action based upon the traditional knowledge and usage.
Materials and Methods: Herbs were mixed equal in proportion and extracted with ethanol. The acute and subacute toxicity studies on ethanolic extract of were carried out to evaluate the safety on rodents. Study on acute toxicity of the ethanolic extract was found to be safe at the dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight orally as per OECD guideline No.423. General behaviour adverse effects and mortality were determined for upto 14 days. In the subacute study, the extract was administered orally at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg once in a week for 6 weeks to rats. Biochemical, haematological and histological parameters were determined after 6 weeks.
Results: In the acute study there was no toxicity/death was observed at the dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight. The onset of toxicity and signs of toxicity was also not there. In subacute study, no significant treatment related changes in the levels of haematological, hepatic and renal parameters were observed at the end of the study. It suggests that the polyherbal ethanolic extract does not appear to have any significant toxicity. Hence, the extract was safe without any toxic symptoms and signs can be further used for the pharmacological screening of antidepressant action based upon the traditional knowledge and usage.
Keywords
Cycas circinalis, Artemisia absinthium, Nardostachys jatamansi, Acute and Subacute Toxicity, Biochemical, Haematological, Histological, Ethanolic Extract.
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