• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.717-724
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• 2020

Background: Malignant arrhythmias require drug therapy. However, most of the currently available antiarrhythmic drugs have significant side effects. Ginsenoside Rg2 exhibits excellent cardioprotective effects and appears to be a promising candidate for cardiovascular drug development. So far, the oral toxicity and antiarrhythmic effects of Rg2 have not been evaluated. Methods: Acute oral toxicity of Rg2 was assessed by the Limit Test method in mice. Subchronic oral toxicity was determined by repeated dose 28-day toxicity study in rats. Antiarrhythmic activities of Rg2 were evaluated in calcium chloride-induced arrhythmic rats. Antiarrhythmic mechanism of Rg2 was investigated in arrhythmic rats and H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Results: The results of toxicity studies indicated that Rg2 exhibited no single-dose (10 g/kg) acute oral toxicity. And 28-day repeated dose treatment with Rg2 (1.75, 3.5 and 5 g/kg/d) demonstrated minimal, if any, subchronic toxicity. Serum biochemical examination showed that total cholesterol in the high-dose cohort was dramatically decreased, whereas prothrombin time was increased at Day 28, suggesting that Rg2 might regulate lipid metabolism and have a potential anticoagulant effect. Moreover, pretreatment with Rg2 showed antiarrhythmic effects on the rat model of calcium chloride induced arrhythmia, in terms of the reduced duration time, mortality, and incidence of malignant arrhythmias. The antiarrhythmic mechanism of Rg2 might be the inhibition of calcium influx through L-type calcium channels by suppressing the phosphorylation of Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Conclusion: Our findings support the development of Rg2 as a promising antiarrhythmic drug with fewer side effects for clinical use.

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

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.192-200
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• 2010

Objectives: We have investigated the toxic effects of the inhalation of subchronic and acute levels of n-octane. Methods: The rats were exposed to n-octane of 0, 2.34, 11.68 and 23.36 mg/L (n = 5 rats/group/gender) in an acute inhalation test (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) TG 403), or to 0, 0.93, 2.62 and 7.48 mg/L (n = 10 rats/group/gender) for a subchronic inhalation test (OECE TG 413), to establish a national chemical management system consistent with the Globally Harmonized Classification System (GHS). Results: Acutely-exposed rats became lethargic but recovered following discontinuation of inhalation. Other clinical symptoms such as change of body weight and autopsy finds were absent. The LC50 for the acute inhalation toxicity of n-octane was determined to exceed 23.36 mg/L and the GHS category was 'not grouping'. Subchronically-treated rats displayed no significant clinical and histopathological differences from untreated controls; also, target organs were affected hematologically, biochemically and pathologically. Therefore, the no observable adverse effect level was indicated as exceeding 7.48 mg/L and the GHS category was 'not grouping' for the specific target organ toxicity upon repeated exposure. Conclusion: However, n-octane exposure should be controlled to be below the American Conference of Industrial Hygienists recommendation (300 ppm) to prevent inhalation-related adverse health effects of workers.

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

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.180-197
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• 1999

Acute and subacute oral toxicity of $HELIKIT^{TM}$ ($^{13}C-urea$) were carried out in Sprague-Dawley rats of both sex. The toxicity of $HELIKIT^{TM}$ was compared with urea($^{12}C-urea$ which is used for control). In acute toxicity studies, we daily examined number of deaths, clinical signs, body weights and pathological examination for 14 days after single oral administration of HELIKIT or urea($^{12}C-urea$) at a dose of 5000 mg/kg. The subacute oral toxicity was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats treated with $HELIKIT^{TM}$ at a dose of 40, 200 and 1,000 mg/kg/day or $^{12}C-urea$ at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. In acute toxicity studies, $HELIKIT^{TM}$ and urea did not show any toxic effect in rats and oral LD50 value was over 5,000 mg/kg rats. In subacute toxicity studies, no death occured and no drug-related changes were found in clinical observations; body weight, food consumption, opthalmoscopy. auditory test, urinalysis, hematology, blood chemistry, gross pathological examination or organ weight between $HELIKIT^{TM}$, urea and control groups. In histopathological examinations, the slight thickening of mucosa of the limiting ridge in the stomach was noted in the animals treated with $HELIKIT^{TM}$ at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg/day and also the changes in urea group at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg/day was found, but all of these changes in the changes in ures group at a dose of 1,000 mg/kg/days was found, but all of these changes in the stomach regressed after withdrawal of the test article for 2 weeks and reversibility of the effect was revealed. These results indicate that the non toxic dose level of $HELIKIT^{TM}$ was 1,000 mg/kg/day in the 4 weeks-repeated dose study, suggesting that the substitution of $^{13}C$ for carbon in urea molecule has no effect on the toxicity of urea and changes in stomach are reversible.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.87-98
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• 2002

This study was conducted to evaluate the safety of a recombinant human Factor VIII(GC-$\gamma$ AHF) manufactured by Korea Green Cross Company with different technology according to the Regulation of Korean Food and Drug Administration (l 998. 12. 3). In acute toxicity test, both genders of Sprague-Dawley rats and Beagle dogs were administered intravenously with GC-$\gamma$ AHF of three doses (3,125, 625 and 125 IU/kg), and single dose of 3,125 IU/kg, respectively. No dead animal and abnormal autopsy findings were found in Control and GC-$\gamma$ AHF treated group. Therefore, the 50% lethal dose ($LD_{50}$) of GC-$\gamma$ AHF was conidered to be higher than 3,125 IU/kg in rats and dogs. In the four weeks repeated intravenous toxicity study, GC-$\gamma$ AHF was administrated intravenosly to both genders of rats and dogs with 3 doses (500, 150, 50 IU/kg). There were neither dead animals nor significant changes of body weights during the experimental Period. In addition, no significant GC-$\gamma$ AHF related changes were found in clinical sign, urinalysis and other finding. Statistically changes were observed in hematological, biochemical and organ weight parameters of treated groups: however these changes were not dose dependent. No histopathological lesion were observed in both control and treated animals. Above data suggest that no observed adverse effect level of test materials in rats and dogs might be over 500 IU/kg/day in this study. In ocular irritation test, any injury on iris, conjunctiva and cornea in rabbits were not observed. The acute ocular irritation index (A.O.I.), mean ocular irritation index (M.O.I.) and Day-7 individual ocular irritation Index (I.O.I.) of GC-$\gamma$ AHF were 0. In the primary skin Irritation test, the primary irritation index (P.I.I.) oj GC-$\gamma$ AHF were 0. Therefore, the GC-$\gamma$ AHF is considered not to have the primary skin and eye toxicity in rabbits. In active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) test, GC-$\gamma$ AHF and GC-$\gamma$ AHF emulsified with Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) did not induce any symptom of anaphylactic shock in guinea pigs. In passive cutaneous anaphylxis (PCA) test, after sensitization with antisera of GC-$\gamma$ AHF sensitized mice, blue spots were observed on the hypodermis of back of rats, but diameter of each spot was smaller than 5 mm in each test groups except the positive control group. Based on the results of this study, GC-$\gamma$ AHF is not conidered to have any antigenic potential. In conclusion, at levels of up to 500 IU/kg, GC-$\gamma$ AHF did not produce treatment-related toxicity under the conditions of these acute-, four week repeated-toxicity, primary skin and eye toxicity, and antigenicity test.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.182-190
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• 1998

DA-3585 is a recombinant human erythropoietin produced by Dong-A pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. using recombinant DNA technique. Recently, recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO) has been used to treat various types of anemia. In this study, we examined acute and subacute toxicity of DA-3585 in rats. DA-3585 was intravenously administered to rats at dose levels of 0, 6,250, 12,500 and 25,000 lU/kg for single dose toxicity study and at dose levels of 0,100,500 and 2,500IU/kg daily for 4 week-repeated dose toxicity study. In the single dose toxicity study, there were no death, clinical signs and changes in body weight gain related to the treatment. Necropsy revealed no evidence of toxicity related to DA-3585, In the repeated dose toxicity study, all the rats survived throughout the study. There were no treatment-related changes in clinical signs, food and water intake, and body weight. Hematological examination showed increases in the number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit value and mean corpuscular volume, and decrease in the number of platelet in 500 and 2,500 lU/kg dosed groups. Extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen and erythroid hyperplasia in the bone marrow were noted as treatment-related histological changes. Toxicologically significant changes were not observed in blood biochemistry, urinalysis, organ weights and in any other examinations. The treatment-related changes observed in this study were hematological or histological changes associated with pharmacological effects of DA-3585. On the basis of the results of this study, LD5n value of DA-3585 was above 25,000 lU/kg and the no-observed-adverse-effect-level was estimated to be 100 lU/kg.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.169-169
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• 2001

This study was designed to evaluate an acute and subacute intravenous dose toxicity of a new cephalosporin antibiotic agent, IDC-7181 in 7-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. IDC-7181 was intravenously injected to rats at dose levels of 0, 3.2, 16, 80, 400 and 2, 000 mg/kg/day for single dose toxicity study and at dose levels of 0, 10, 50 and 250 mg/kg/day for 4 week-repeated dose toxicity study. All rats survived throughout the study periods.(omitted)

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.171-181
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• 1998

DA-3585, a biosynthetic recombinant human erythropoietin has been developed as a treatment for anemia associated with chronic renal failure in Dong-A pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. This study was carried out to assess its acute and subacute toxicities in rabbits. DA-3585 was intravenously administered to rabbits at dose levels of 6250, 12500 or 25000 lU/kg for single dose toxicity study and at dose levels of 100, 500 or 2500 lU/kg/day for 4-week repeated dose toxicity study. In the acute toxicity study, dose up to 25000 lU/kg had no adverse effect on the behavior or body weight gain. Pathological examinations revealed no abnormal gross lesions related to DA-3585. In the subacute toxicity study, all animals survived until termination of treatment. DA-3585 had no influence on clinical signs, food and water intake or on body weight changes. Hematological examination showed increases in the number of RBC, hemoglobin contents and hematocrit values with a dose dependent manner in the animals treated with DA-3585. Histopathological examination revealed erythroid hyperplasia in the bone marrow and extramedullary hematopoiesis in the liver. The changes detected in the hematological and histopathological examination presumably represent exaggerated pharmacological effects of erythropoietin. The NOAEL (no-observed-adverse-effect-level) of DA-3585 was estimated to be 100 lU/kg/ day under this study condition.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.132-139
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• 2009

The toxicity test of ammonium persulfate was conducted to ensure of its potential toxic effects according to the single-dose acute oral toxicity study (OECD Guideline 423) and 90-day repeated dose sub-chronic oral toxicity study guideline (OECD Guideline 408) for establishing national chemical management system, and matching in the Globally Harmonized Classification System (GHS) category. In acute oral toxicity study, pasty stool, perineal contamination and temporary body weight decrease were observed after dosing 1st and 2nd challenge (300 mg/kg body weight). All test animals were dead within 6 hours after dosing at 3rd challenge (2000 mg/kg body weight). Therefore, the GHS class of test substance is considered class 4. In sub-chronic toxicity study, body weight changes, food consumptions, hematological, biochemical and pathological examination did not show any noticeable and significant differences between the administered (5, 20, 80 mg/kg body weight) and control (vehicle only) group animals. Based on these results, the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) is considered above 80 mg/kg body weight.