Toxicology International (Formerly Indian Journal of Toxicology)

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Safety Evaluation of Arsenicum Album in Acute and Sub-Acute Toxicity Studies in Rats


Affiliations
1 Department of Pharmacology, Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Noida - 201301, Uttar Pradesh, India
2 Dr Anjali Chatterji Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Kolkata - 700035, West Bengal, India
3 Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi - 110023, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Arsenic album is frequently prescribed in homoeopathy for many diseases. However, its safety data is not available. Thus, the study’s purpose is to evaluate the oral toxicity of Arsenic album 6C, 30C, and 200C in rats. Arsenic album (6C, 30C, and 200C) was given at 2000 μl/kg for acute toxicity and observed for up to 14 days. For subacute toxicity, it was given for 28 days and observed for clinical signs, change in body weight and Mortality. Hematological, biochemical, organ weight and histopathological analyses were assessed. Results indicate no mortality of arsenic album in acute toxicity and LD50 is >2000 μl/kg. In the subacute toxicity study, arsenic album (200 μl/kg) did not show any significant changes in above parameters. It may be concluded that the arsenic album (6C, 30C, and 200C) is safe and produces no toxicity when administered orally for a prolonged duration at 200 μl/kg in rats.

Keywords

Complementary and Alternative Medicines, Homoeopathy, Safety, Toxicity.
User
Subscription Login to verify subscription
Notifications
Font Size

  • Briggs CJ, Norrie O. Regulation of Herbal and Homeopathic Medicines. Pharm Dev Regul. 2003; 1:245-259. https://doi. org/10.1159/000507952

  • WHO. Safety issues in the preparation of homeopathic medicines. 2009. Retrieved from: https://apps.who.int/iris/ handle/10665/44238

  • Singh S, Kumar R, Karwasra R, Kalra P, Rani S, Nayak D, et al. Evaluation of safety profile of homoeopathic mother tinctures. Indian J Res Homoeopathy. 2014; 8:81-86. https:// doi.org/10.4103/0974-7168.135640

  • Habs M, Koller M. Material Risks of Homeopathic Medicinal Products: Regulatory Frameworks, Results of Preclinical Toxicology, and Clinical Meta-Analyses and Their Implications. Complement Med Res. 2021; 28:64-84. https://doi.org/10.1159/000507952

  • Manchanda RK. Popularity, safety and quality of homoeopathic medicines. Indian J Res Homoeopathy. 2018; 12:191. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijrh.ijrh_72_18

  • Sharma M, Prajapati S, Kumar A, Tripathi A, GVN Kumar, Gupta P. Effect of Acute Exposure of Belladonna Mother Tincture on Zebrafish Embryonic Development. Indian J Pharm Sci. 2021; 83:5. https://doi.org/10.36468/pharmaceutical- sciences.847

  • Sharma M, Prajapati S, Kumar A, Tripathi A, GVN Kumar, Gupta P. Safety Evaluation of Syzygium jambolanum on the Development of Zebrafish Embryos. Indian J Pharm Educ Res. 2021; 55(1):198-204. https://doi.org/10.5530/ ijper.55.1.22

  • Kirby BJ. Safety of homeopathic products. J R Soc Med. 2002; 95(5):221-222. https://doi.org/10.1258/jrsm.95.5.221

  • Clarke JH. A dictionary of practical materia medica. Homoeopathic Publishing Company. 1902 10. Bellavite P, Signorini A, Marzotto M, Moratti E, Bonafini C, Olioso D. Cell sensitivity, non-linearity and inverse effects. Homeopathy. 2015; 104:139-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. homp.2015.02.002

  • Kundu S, Mitra K, Bukhsh AK. Efficacy of a potentized homeopathic drug (Arsenicum-Album-30) in reducing cytotoxic effects produced by arsenic trioxide in mice: IV. Pathological changes, protein profiles, and content of DNA and RNA. Complement Ther Med. 2000; 8:157-165. https:// doi.org/10.1054/ctim.2000.0390

  • Mallick P, Chakrabarti Mallick J, Guha B, Khuda-Bukhsh A. Ameliorating effect of microdoses of a potentized homeopathic drug, Arsenicum album, on arsenic-induced toxicity in mice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2003; 3:1- 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-3-7

  • Ive EC, Couchman I, Reddy L. Therapeutic effect of Arsenicum album on leukocytes. Int J Mol Sci. 2012; 13:3979-3987. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms13033979

  • Das D, De A, Dutta S, Biswas R, Boujedaini N, Khuda- Bukhsh AR. Potentized homeopathic drug Arsenicum Album 30C positively modulates protein biomarkers and gene expressions in Saccharomyces cerevisae exposed to arsenate. J Chin Integr Med. 2011; 9:752-760. https://doi. org/10.3736/jcim20110709

  • Ernst E. The efficacy of herbal medicine–an overview. Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 2005; 19:405-409. https://doi. org/10.1111/j.1472-8206.2005.00335.x

  • OECD Test No. 423. Acute oral toxicity-Acute toxic class method. 2002. Retrieved from: https://www.oecd-ilibrary. org/environment/test-no-423-acute-oral-toxicity-acutetoxic- class-method_9789264071001-en

  • OECD Test No. 407. Repeated Dose 28-day Oral Toxicity Study in Rodents. 2008. https://doi.org/10.1787/ 9789264070684-en

  • Olfert E, Bhasin J, Latt R, McCutcheon K, Rainnie D, Schunk M. CCAC Guidelines on: Choosing an Appropriate Endpoint in Experiments Using Animals for Research, Teaching and Testing. 1998. Retrieved from: https://ccac. ca/Documents/Standards/Guidelines/Appropriate_endpoint. pdf

  • Chitra B, Ramaswamy R, Suba V. Toxicity evaluation of Purn. a Cantirotaya Centuram, a Siddha medicine in Wistar rats. Int Sch Res Notices. 2015; 473296. https://doi. org/10.1155/2015/473296

  • Wren AF, Cleary M, Frantz C, Melton S, Norris L. 90-day oral toxicity study of a grape seed extract (IH636) in rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2002; 50:2180-2192. https://doi. org/10.1021/jf011066w

  • Rao JV. Toxic effects of novel organophosphorus insecticide (RPR-V) on.certain.biochemical parameters of euryhaline fish, Oreochromis mossambicus. Pestic Biochem Phys. 2006; 86:78-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pestbp.2006.01.008

  • Mukinda JT, Syce JA. Acute and chronic toxicity of the aqueous extract of Artemisia afra in rodents. J Ethnopharmacol. 2007; 112:138-144. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jep.2007.02.011

  • Olson H, Betton G, Robinson D, Thomas K, Monro A, Kolaja G, et al. Concordance of the toxicity of pharmaceuticals in humans and in animals. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2000; 32:56-67. https://doi.org/10.1006/rtph.2000.1399

  • Olorunnisola O, Bradley G, Afolayan A. Acute and subchronic toxicity studies of methanolic extract of Tulbaghia violacea rhizomes in Wistar rats. Afr J Biotechnol. 2012, 11:14934-4940

  • Anderson N, Borlak J. Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets in steatosis and steatohepatitis. Pharmacol Rev. 2008; 60:311-357. https://doi.org/10.1124/pr.108.00001

  • Schalm OW. Schalm’s veterinary hematology; 2000

  • Loge JP, Lange RD, Moore CV. Characterization of the anemia associated with chronic renal insufficiency. Am J Med.1958; 24:4-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(58)90357-7

  • Wallig MA, Bolon B, Haschek WM, Rousseaux CG. Fundamentals of toxicologic pathology. Academic press; 2017

  • Nigatu TA, Afework M, Urga K, Ergete W, Makonnen E. Toxicological investigation of acute and chronic treatment with Gnidia stenophylla Gilg root extract on some blood parameters and histopathology of spleen, liver and kidney in mice. BMC research notes. 2017; 10:1-13. https://doi. org/10.1186/s13104-017-2964-3

  • Michael B, Yano B, Sellers RS, Perry R, Morton D, Roome N, et al. Evaluation of organ weights for rodent and nonrodent toxicity studies: a review of regulatory guidelines and a survey of current practices. Toxicol Pathol. 2007; 35:742-750. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926230701595292


Abstract Views: 237

PDF Views: 0




  • Safety Evaluation of Arsenicum Album in Acute and Sub-Acute Toxicity Studies in Rats

Abstract Views: 237  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Roshan Lal
Department of Pharmacology, Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Noida - 201301, Uttar Pradesh, India
Mahima sharma
Department of Pharmacology, Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Noida - 201301, Uttar Pradesh, India
Sangita Behera
Department of Pharmacology, Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Noida - 201301, Uttar Pradesh, India
Raj Kumar Regar
Department of Pharmacology, Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Noida - 201301, Uttar Pradesh, India
Deepika Tripathi
Department of Pharmacology, Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Noida - 201301, Uttar Pradesh, India
G V Narasimha Kumar
Dr Anjali Chatterji Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy, Kolkata - 700035, West Bengal, India
Satvinder Singh
Department of Pharmacology, Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Noida - 201301, Uttar Pradesh, India
Digvijay Verma
Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi - 110023, India
Pankaj Gupta
Department of Pharmacology, Dr. D. P. Rastogi, Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Noida - 201301, Uttar Pradesh, India
Subhash Kaushik
Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi - 110023, India
Anil Khurana
Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, New Delhi - 110023, India

Abstract


Arsenic album is frequently prescribed in homoeopathy for many diseases. However, its safety data is not available. Thus, the study’s purpose is to evaluate the oral toxicity of Arsenic album 6C, 30C, and 200C in rats. Arsenic album (6C, 30C, and 200C) was given at 2000 μl/kg for acute toxicity and observed for up to 14 days. For subacute toxicity, it was given for 28 days and observed for clinical signs, change in body weight and Mortality. Hematological, biochemical, organ weight and histopathological analyses were assessed. Results indicate no mortality of arsenic album in acute toxicity and LD50 is >2000 μl/kg. In the subacute toxicity study, arsenic album (200 μl/kg) did not show any significant changes in above parameters. It may be concluded that the arsenic album (6C, 30C, and 200C) is safe and produces no toxicity when administered orally for a prolonged duration at 200 μl/kg in rats.

Keywords


Complementary and Alternative Medicines, Homoeopathy, Safety, Toxicity.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18311/ti%2F2023%2Fv30i2%2F32299