Open Access
Subscription Access
Open Access
Subscription Access
Toxicity Study of Swarna Bhasma, an Ayurvedic Medicine Containing Gold, in Wistar Rats
Subscribe/Renew Journal
Objectives: This study was conducted to estimate No Observed Effect Level (NOEL) or no observed adverse effect level of Swarna Bhasma an Ayurvedic classical preparation of gold in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Swarna Bhasma was prepared as per classical Ayurvedic text and analyzed for physicochemical properties. A total of 40 Wistar rats of either sex with an average body weight of 150-200 g were divided into four groups with 10 animals of both sexes in each group. Group I served as control and was given vehicle (Honey:Water in 2:3 ratio) Group II, III, IV were orally administered Swarna Bhasma @ 13.5, 6.75, 1.35 mg/kg body weight for 90 consecutive days. The effect of the drug was observed on ponderal changes, hematological, and biochemical parameters. At the end of the study, all animals were sacrificed and examined for gross pathological changes. Histopathological evaluation was performed only for control and high-dose group and of animals that were moribund sacrificed. Results: Swarna Bhasma was found to be safe at all levels tested. No significant treatment-related clinical signs were noted in all groups studied. The food and water consumption was not affected at highest given dose, i.e., 13.5 mg/kg body weight. No major alterations were observed during histopathological evaluation. Conclusion: This study indicates 13.5 mg/kg body weight as NOEL for Swarna Bhasma in Wistar rats.
Keywords
Ayurvedic Classical Drugs, Swarna Bhasma, Toxicity Study.
User
Subscription
Login to verify subscription
Font Size
Information
- Sharma HS. Rasendra mangalam of Nagarjuna. 1st Part. Ch. 1-4. Varanasi: Chaukhamba Orientalia; 2008.
- Ayurvedic Formulary of India. Part I. 2nd Revised Edition. New Delhi: Controller of Publication, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India; 2004.
- Forestier J. Rheumatoid arthritis and its treatment with gold salts – Results of six years’ experience. J Lab Clin Med. 1935; 20:827–40.
- Juan H. The pharmacology of gold compounds. Wien Klin Wochenschr Suppl. 1984; 156:7–13.
- Saper RB, Kales SN, Paquin J, Burns MJ, Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, et al. Heavy metal content of ayurvedic herbal medicine products. JAMA. 2004; 292:2868–73.
- Lavekar GS, Ravishankar B, Gaidhani S, Shukla VJ, Ashok BK, Padhi MM. Mahayograj guggulu: Heavy metal estimation and safety studies. Int J Ayurveda Res. 2010; 1:150–8.
- Paget GE, Barnes JM. In: Laurence DR, Bacharach AL, editors. Evaluation of Drug Activities, Pharmacometrics. London: Academic Press; 1964. p. 161.
- Penneys NS, Ackerman AB, Gottlieb NL. Gold dermatitis. A clinical and histopathological study. Arch Dermatol. 1974;109:372–6.
- Schreiner GE. Toxic nephropathy. In: Becker EL, editor. Structural Basis of Renal Disease. New York: Harper and Row; 1968.
- Payne BJ, Sekella RJ. Dose range and sighting study of gold sodium thiomalate in rats. Vet Pathol. 1978; 15(Suppl 5):23–38.
- Van Riel PL, Gribnau FW, van de Putte LB, Yap SH. Loose stools during auranofin treatment: Clinical study and some pathogenetic possibilities. J Rheumatol. 1983; 10:222–6.
- Edelman J, Davis P, Owen ET. Prevalence of eosinophilia during gold therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol. 1983; 10:121–3.
- Harth M, Hickey JP, Coulter WK, Thompson JM, Disney TF. Gold-induced thrombocytopenia. J Rheumatol. 1978; 5:165–72.
- Kay AG. Myelotoxicity of gold. Br Med J. 1976; 1:1266–8.
- Davis P. Gold therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Can Fam Physician, 1988; 34:445–52.
- Tonn T, Goebel C, Wilhelm M, Gleichmann E. Gold kinetics under long-term treatment with gold(I) disodium thiomalate: A comparison in three different mouse strains. Br J Rheumatol. 1994; 33:724–30.
- Nghiem TH, Nguyen TT, Fort E, Nguyen TP, Hoang TM, Nguyen TQ, et al. Capping and in vivo toxicity studies of gold nanoparticles. Adv Nat Sci Nanosci Nanotechnol. 2012; 3:015002. (5PP). 827-40.
- Mitra A, Chakraborty S, Auddy B, Tripathi P, Sen S, Saha AV, et al. Evaluation of chemical constituents and free-radical scavenging activity of Swarna Bhasma (gold ash), an ayurvedic drug. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002; 80:147–53.
Abstract Views: 1092
PDF Views: 0