Protective Effect of Panax ginseng Against Tetracycline Toxicity in Rats

Tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) caused 100%, 50% and 20% mortality rates among rats injected with 40 mg, 30 mg and 20 mg/100g. b.w. respectively; while the morta]ity rates were decreased to 50%, 20% and 10% when Panax ginseng (2 mg/100g. b.w.) injected with TC during 72 hrs. post-injection. Subacute-toxicity study demonstrated that TC caused severe hepato-nephrotoxicity (demonstrated by biochemical analysis of serum including: transferases , alkaline phosphatase, total protein, glucose, cholesterol urea and creatinine) in rats injected i.p. with 10 mg and 5 mg/100g. b.w. for 7 days of daily injection . These signes of toxicity were greatly diminished by P. ginseng addition to TC doses.