• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.43-51
• /
• 2010

Objectives : We investigated the repeated-dose toxicity of Wenpitang-Hab-Wulingsan(WHW), a Korean traditional medicine prescribed with twelve herbs, which has been used for the treatment of renal disease. Methods : WHW extract prepared by GLP company. WHW was supplemented by gavage at 0, 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day for 13-week consecutive days. We recorded the clinical signs of toxicity, body weight, organ weights, hematology, gross and histological changes in target organs rats and clinical chemistry analysis for all rats. Results : WHW extract at all doses was shown no mortality or abnormal clinical signs in rats during at the observation period. Furthermore, there was no difference in body weight and food-take consumption, organ weight, gross pathological findings, and urine analysis among the groups of rats treated with different doses of WHW extract. The hematological analysis and clinical blood chemistry data were revealed no toxic effects from WHW-treated rats. Conclusions : The results suggest that WHW extract in rats is a wide margin of safety on a acute toxicity.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.5-41
• /
• 2010

Objectives: This study was performed to analyse four week repeated dose toxicity of Sweet Bee Venom(Sweet BV) extracted from the bee venom in Beagle dogs. Methods: All experiments were conducted under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) at Biotoxtech Company, a non-clinical study authorized institution. Male and female Beagle dogs of 5-6 months old were chosen for the pilot study of four week repeated dose toxicity of Sweet BV which was administered at the level of 0.56mg/kg body weight which is eighty times higher than the clinical application dosage as the high dosage, followed by 0.28 and 0.14mg/kg as midium and low dosage, respectively. Equal amount of excipient(normal saline) to the Sweet BV experiment groups was administered as the control group every day for four weeks. Results: 1. No mortality was witnessed in all of the experiment groups. 2. All experiment groups were appealed pain sense in the treating time compared to the control group, and hyperemia and movement disorder were observed around the area of administration in all experiment groups, and higher occurrence in the higher dosage treatment. 3. For weight measurement, Neither male nor female groups showed significant changes. 4. In the urine analysis, CBC and biochemistry didn't show any significant changes in the experiment groups compared with control group. 5. For weight measurement of organs, experiment groups didn't show any significant changes compared with control group. 6. To verify abnormalities of organs and tissues, thigh muscle which treated with Sweet BV, cerebrum, liver, lung, kidney, and spinal cords were removed and conducted histologocal observation with H-E staining. In the histologocal observation of thigh muscle, cell infiltration, inflammatory, degeneration, necrosis of muscle fiber, and fibrosis were found in both thigh tissue. And the changes were depend on the dose of Sweet BV. But another organs were not detected in any abnormalities. 7. The proper high dosage of Sweet BV for the thirteen week repeated test in Beagle dogs may be 0.28mg/kg in one time. Conclusion: Above findings suggest that Sweet BV is relatively safe treatment medium. Further studies on the subject should be conducted to yield more concrete evidences.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 2014

Objectives: This study was performed to analyze a 13-week repeated dose toxicity test of Sweet Bee Venom (SBV) extracted from bee venom and administered in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: Male and female 5-week-old SD rats were treated once daily with SBV (high-dosage group: 0.28 mg/kg; medium-dosage group: 0.14 mg/kg; or low-dosage group: 0.07 mg/kg) for 13 weeks. Normal saline was administered to the control group in a similar manner (0.2 mL/kg). We conducted clinical observations, body weight measurements, ophthalmic examinations, urinalyses, hematology and biochemistry tests, and histological observations using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining to identify any abnormalities caused by the SBV treatment. Results: During this study, no mortality was observed in any of the experimental groups. Hyperemia and a movement disorder were observed around the area of in all groups that received SBV treatment, with a higher occurrence in rats treated with a higher dosage. Male rats receiving in the high-dosage group showed a significant decrease in weight during the treatment period. Compared to the control group, no significant changes in the ophthalmic parameters, the urine analyses, the complete blood cell count (CBC), and the biochemistry in the groups treated with SBV. Compared to the control group, some changes in organ weights were observed in the medium-and the high-dosage groups, but the low-dosage group showed no significant changes. Histological examination of thigh muscle indicated cell infiltration, inflammation, degeneration, and necrosis of muscle fiber, as well as fibrosis, in both the medium- and the high-dosage groups. Fatty liver change was observed in the periportal area of rats receiving medium and high dosages of SBV. No other organ abnormalities were observed. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) of SBV is approximately 0.07 mg/kg in male and female SD rats.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.339-348
• /
• 2004

Paecilomyces sinclairii was administered ad libitum feeding at percentage levels of 0, 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 percentage (calculated about 8 g/kg)/feeder for a period of 3 months. There was no observed clinical signs or deaths related to treatment in all groups tested. Therefore, the approximate lethal dose of P. sinclairii was considered to be higher than 8 g/kg in rats. Mild decreases in body weight gain were observed dose-dependently in P. sinclairii treated groups in dose response manner after 2 weeks. Interestingly, the weight of abdominal adipose tissues surrounding epididymides were greatly reduced by this Dongchunghacho, in parallel with the mild increase in body weight gain. However, the absolute weight change of other organs was not observed. There were not significantly different from the control group in urinalysis, ocular examination, hematological, serum biochemical value and histopathological examination. From these results, it is concluded that the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of P. sinclairii is less than 1.25% (1 g/kg) in rats in the present study.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.222-228
• /
• 2020

Background: 20(S)-ginsenoside-Rg3 (C₄₂H₇₂O₁₃), a natural triterpenoid saponin, is extracted from red ginseng. The increasing use of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 has raised product safety concerns. Methods: In acute toxicity, 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 was singly and orally administrated to Kunming mice and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at the maximum doses of 1600 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg, respectively. In the 26-week toxicity study, we used repeated oral administration of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 in SD rats over 26 weeks at doses of 0, 20, 60, or 180 mg/kg. Moreover, a 4-week recovery period was scheduled to observe the persistence, delayed occurrence, and reversibility of toxic effects. Results: The result of acute toxicity shows that oral administration of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 to mice and rats did not induce mortality or toxicity up to 1600 and 800 mg/kg, respectively. During a 26-week administration period and a 4-week withdrawal period (recovery period), there were no significant differences in clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, urinalysis parameters, biochemical and hematological values, or histopathological findings. Conclusion: The mean oral lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3, in acute toxicity, is above 1600 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg in mice and rats, respectively. In a repeated-dose 26-week oral toxicity study, the no-observed-adverse-effect level for female and male SD rats was 180 mg/kg.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.61-72
• /
• 2018

Objectives The purpose of this experiment is to evaluate 4 weeks DRF (Dose Rate Finding) and single oral dose toxicity of ChondroT in rats. Methods In 4-week DRF, male and female Sprague-Dawely rats were treated with ChondroT at oral dose of 0, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg. clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, necropsy findings, organ weight, hematological and blood-chemical parameters, and histological findings were monitored for 4 weeks. Also, after single oral administration of ChondroT, mortality, clinical signs, body weight, and necropsy findings were minitored for 2 weeks. Results In 4-week DRF and single dose oral toxicity study of ChondroT in sprague-Dawley rats, ChondroT did not exhibit any toxicity under the study conditions employed. Conclusions The results suggested a no-observed adverse effects level (NOAEL) was over 2,000 mg/kg/day in SD rats after oral administration, this study could be used as basic study of the repeated dose 13-week oral toxicity study of ChondroT.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2014

Objectives: Mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture (MGP) is a pharmacopuncture made by distilling extract from mountain cultivated ginseng or mountain wild ginseng. This pharmacopuncture is injected intravenously, which is a quick, lossless way of strongly tonifying Qi function. The present study was undertaken to evaluate a 4-week, repeated, intravenous injection, toxicity test of MGP in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: Twenty male and female 6-week-old SD rats were used as subjects. We divided the SD rats into 4 groups: the high-dosage (10 mL/kg), medium-dosage (5 mL/kg), low-dosage (2.5 mL/kg) and control (normal saline) groups. MGP or normal saline was injected intravenously into the caudal vein of the rats once daily for 4 weeks. Clinical signs, body weights, and food consumption were monitored during the observation period, and hematology, serum biochemistry, organ weight, necropsy, and histological examinations were conducted once the observations had been completed. Results: No mortality was observed in any of the groups during the observation period. No changes due to MGP were observed in the experimental groups regarding clinical signs, body weights, food consumption, hematology, serum biochemistry, organ weight and necropsy. No histological changes due to MGP were observed in any of the male or female rats in the high-dosage group. Conclusion: During this 4-week, repeated, intravenous injection, toxicity test of MGP in SD rats, no toxic changes due to MGP were observed in any of the male or female rats in the high-dosage group. Thus, we suggest that the high and the low doses in a 13-week, repeated test should be 10 mL/kg and 2.5 mL/kg, respectively.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.371-387
• /
• 2019

Although the dried root of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk. (Umbelliferae) is a popular medicinal plant in East Asia, there has been no systemic toxicological evaluation of a water extract of Saposhnikoviae Radix (SRE). In this experiment, an oral acute and 13-week subchronic toxicological evaluations of SRE (500-5,000 mg/kg body weight) were performed in both sexes of Crl:CD(SD) rats. Based on the results from mortality, clinical signs, effects on body weight and organ weight, clinical biochemistry, hematology, urinalysis, and histopathology, significant acute, 4-week repeated dose range finding (DRF) and 13-week subchronic toxicity of SRE was not observed in either sex of rats; thus, the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) was 5,000 mg (kg/day). To identify anti-hyperuricemia potential of SRE, the suppressive effect of SRE was determined in mice challenged with potassium oxonate (PO; 250 mg/kg) via intraperitoneal injection for 8 days (each group; n = 7). SRE supplementation suppressed the uric acid level in urine through significant xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activity. Kidney dysfunctions were observed in PO-challenged mice as evidenced by an increase in serum creatinine level. Whereas, SRE supplementation suppressed it in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, SRE was safe up to 5,000 mg (kg/day) based on NOAEL found from acute and 13-week subchronic toxicological evaluations. SRE had anti-hyperuricemia effect and lowered the excessive level of uric acid, a potential factor for gout and kidney failure.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.1034-1041
• /
• 2010

The oriental medicine Jangwonhwan, which is a boiled extract of 12 medicinal herbs/mushroom, has been prescribed for patients with cognitive dysfunction and it is originally from the Korean medical text, DonguiBogam(amnesia chapter). Recently, a modified recipe of Jangwonhwan (LMK02-Jangwonhwan) consisting of seven medicinal plants/mushroom, was shown to reduce ${\beta}$-amyloid deposition in the brain of Tg-APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model of Alzheimer disease. The toxicity of LMK02 was investigated in SD rats by oral repeated adminstration for 4 weeks and we tried to determine test does for 13 weeks repeated study. Quality control of tablet form of LMK02 was established by estimating indicative components, Ginsenoside Rg3 of Red Ginseng and Decursin of Angelicagigas Nakai. The toxicity of LMK02 was investigated in 6 weeks old specific pathogen free (SPF) Sprageu-Dawley rats by oral administration. Each test group were consist of 5 male and 5 female and they received doses of 500, 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg/day of test substance for 4 weeks. The clinical signs, death rate, body weight, food consumption, ophthalmic examination, urinalysis, hematological and serum biochemistry, organ weight and pathological changes were examined and compared with those of control group. Urinalysis : We observed increase of PRO(p<0.01), SG(p<0.01) in female rats of 1,000 mg/kg/day and 2,000 mg/kg/day(p<0.01). Also, we observed increase of pH and KET in female rats of 1,000 mg/kg/day(p<0.05) and of 2,000 mg/kg/day(p<0.01). WBC in female rats in 1,000 mg/kg/day and 2,000 mg/kg/day were on increase. Hematological test : We observed increase of MCV in male rats of 250 mg/kg/day. (p<0.05) Serum biochemistry test : We found increase of CHO in female rats of 2,000 mg/kg/day(p<0.05). During the experimental period, there were no animals dead or moribund. There were no treatment related changes of general symptom, food and water consumption, organ weight and autopsy According to the results of 4-week repeated dose range finding study, the highest dose was established as 1000 mg/kg for 13-week repeated dose toxicity study and we determined to put 2 more groups by common ratio two.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
• /
• 2001.10a
• /
• pp.170-170
• /
• 2001

This study was designed to evaluate a repeated intravenous dose toxicity of a new anticancer agent, SB extracted from Pulsatilla korean Nakai in Beagle dogs. Animals were intravenously injected with dosages of 0, 0.062, 0.25, and 1 mg/kg of SB everyday for 13 weeks, respectively. There were no dose-related changes in clinical signs, body weight changes, food and water consumptions, opthalmoscopy, and urine analysis. There were somewhat significant differences compared with control group in organ weight, biochemical examination, and hematology findings of animals treated with SB. However, these changes were not dose-related changes. Gross and histopathological findings revealed no evidence of specific toxicity related to SB. These indicate that intraveous maximum tolerated dose value of SB may be over 1mg/kg in rats.