• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.47-59
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• 2021

Background: This study aimed to assess the toxicity of Aconitum sinomontanum Nakai (ASN) pharmacopuncture. Methods: To investigate the toxicity of ASN pharmacopuncture, single and 4-week repeated dose toxicity experiments were conducted on BALB/c mice. In the single-dose toxicity experiment, mice were assigned 1 of 4 groups (5 males, 5 females per group). Then, 31.25, 62.5, and 125 mg/kg of ASN pharmacopuncture were administered to the mice in the experimental groups at acupoint ST36, while 0.2 mL of normal saline was administered to the control group at ST36. After a 4-week repeated dose regimen, the mice were assigned into 4 groups (5 males, 5 females per group). Then, 15.625, 31.25, and 62.5 mg/kg of ASN pharmacopuncture at ST36 were administered to the mice in the experimental groups, while 0.2 mL of normal saline was administered to the control group at ST36. Mortality, morbidity, general body and organ weight changes (after 4 weeks repeated dose), serum hematological and biochemical values, and histopathological changes in the liver and kidney were observed. Results: In both single and 4-week repeated dose toxicity experiments, no deaths or symptoms occurred in any of the groups. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of body and organ weights, serum hematological and biochemical values, and specific organ histopathological changes. Conclusion: ASN pharmacopuncture injection did not demonstrate significant toxicity in BALB/c mice compared with the control group, with a no-observed-adverse-effect level for a single dose of >125 mg/kg, and for 4 weeks repeated dose it was more than 62.5 mg/kg/day.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.171-184
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• 2013

Single-and repeated-dose toxicities of Compound K (CK) were evaluated according to Toxicity Test Guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration using Sprague-Dawley rats. For single-dose toxicity study, CK was dissolved in drinking water, orally administered and examined for 14 days. As results, CK up to a dose of 5,000 mg/kg, the limited dose, neither induced death, clinical signs and necropsy findings, nor affected body weight gain and organ weights, in which 10% lethal dose could not be estimated. Based on the results of single-dose toxicity test, CK was administered at doses of 500, 1,000 or 2,000 mg/kg for 28 days for the evaluation of repeated-dose toxicity. All doses including the limited dose (2,000 mg/kg) of CK did not cause any abnormalities of rats, including mortality, clinical signs, body weight gain, feed/water consumption, necropsy findings, organ weights, hematology, blood biochemistry. Rather, high doses (1,000 - 2,000 mg/kg) of CK reduced the serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and triglycerides, in addition to an increase in glucose, indicative of protective effects on hepatic and muscular injuries. Thus, both maximum tolerable dose (MTD) and no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) were not determined. The results indicate that long-term intake of high-dose CK might not induce general adverse effects.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.159-173
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• 2016

Crickets have been attracting considerable interest in the field of nutrition and toxicology due to the global exhaustion of food resulting from a growing population. The cricket is normally eaten in several countries after roasting, similar to the grasshopper; however, safety evaluation data on cricket powder is limited. Here, we performed general toxicity studies of cricket powder including a single, 2-week repeated dose range evaluation test, a 13-week repeated oral dose toxicity test in Sprague-Dawley rats, a single oral dose toxicity test in Beagle dogs, and a skin sensitization test in guinea pigs following the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development test guidelines 406 and 408 in addition to Good Laboratory Practice. To investigate the NOAEL and target organs of cricket powder, Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to 4 groups: vehicle control, 1,250 mg/kg, 2,500 mg/kg, 5,000 mg/kg dose test groups and cricket powder was administered over 13 weeks after single dose and dose range finding studies in rats based on the results of the single oral administration toxicity study in rats and Beagle dogs. The results of the study showed that the NOAEL of cricket powder was over 5,000 mg/kg for both sexes of rats without adverse effects in a 13-week repeated oral toxicity study and there was no skin hypersensitivity reaction. Therefore, our results reveal that crickets can be widely used as a new substitute food or nutrient resource.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2004

This study was to investigate single and repeated-dose toxicities of CJ-11555, an anticirrhotic agent, in Sprague-Dawley (SO) rats. In single-dose oral toxicity study, the test article were administered once by gavage to males and females at dose levels of 0 and 2,000 mg/kg. No dead animals and abnormal necropsy findings were found in control and CJ-11555 treated group. Therefore, the approximate lethal dose of CJ-11555 was considered to be higher than 2,000 mg/kg in rats. In the 4-week repeated oral toxicity study, the test article was administered once daily by gavage to male and female rats at dose levels of 0, 10, 50 and 200 mg/kg/day for 4-weeks. In clinical signs, yellow-colored urine and yellow hair coat were observed in the 50 and 200 mg/kg male and female groups. In hematology, erythrocyte count and hemoglobin were significantly decreased in the 200mg/kg male and female groups. In serum biochemistry, total cholesterol was significantly increased and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was significantly decreased in the 50 or 200 mg/kg male and female groups. In histopathological examinations, centrilobular hepatocellular hypertrophy in the liver, congestion and pigmentation in the spleen, hyaline droplets in the kidney were observed in the 50 and 200 mg/kg male and female groups. In toxicokinetic study, CJ-11555 was dose-dependent in systemic exposure and showed better absorption in female with minimum accumulation after multidosing. Based on these results, it was concluded that the 4-week repeated oral dose of CJ-11555 resulted in the suppression of AST activity and centrilobular hepatocellular hypertrophy in both sexes at a dose level of 50 or 200 mg/kg/day. The target organ was estimated to be liver, spleen and male's kidney. The no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for CJ-11555 in rats following gavage for at least 4-week is 10 mg/kg/day.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.263-272
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• 2004

This study was to investigate single and repeated-dose toxicities of DFA IV, a new candidate of nutraceutical which has preventive effect on anemia and osteoporosis. In single-dose oral toxicity study, the test article were administered once by gavage to rats at dose level of 0, 2,000 and 5,000 mg/kg. No dead animal, abnormal sign and abnormal necropsy finding was found in control and treated groups. Thus the approximate lethal dose of DFA IV was considered to be higher than 5,000 mg/kg in rats. In four week repeated dose oral toxicity study, the test article was administered once daily by gavage to rats at dose levels of 0, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg. No abnormality was observed in mortality, clinical findings, body weight changes, food and water consumptions, opthalmoscopic findings, hematological findings, necropsy findings, organ weights and histopathological findings. In urinalysis, specific gravity was increased in 2,000 mg/kg groups of male rats. In serum biochemical analysis, creatine phosphokinase was increased in all treatment groups of male rats. These increases in urine specific gravity and serum creatine phosphokinase activity were not accompanied with related signs such as histopathological changes or clinical findings. In conclusion, four week repeated oral dose of DFA IV to rats did not cause apparent toxicological change at the dose of 500, 1,000 or 2000 mg/kg body weight. Thus it is suggested that no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of DFA IV in rats would be 2,000 mg/kg/day body weight.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.511-522
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• 2015

This study investigates the acute and repeated-dose oral toxicity of crude antifungal compounds produced by Lactobacillus plantarum AF1 (Lb. plantarum AF1) and Lactobacillus plantarum HD1 (Lb. plantarum HD1) in male and female Sprague Dawley rats. In the acute toxicity study, crude antifungal compounds (500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg) did not reduce mortality or produce significant changes in general behaviors or the gross appearance of external and internal organs. In the repeated-dose toxicity study, crude antifungal compounds were administered orally to rats at doses of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg daily for 28 days. There were no test-article-related deaths, abnormal clinical signs, or body weight changes. In addition, there were no significant differences between groups treated with crude antifungal compounds and the control group in their organ weight, hematological and serum biochemical parameters, or any other factors. These results suggest that the acute or repeated-dose oral administration of crude antifungal compounds produced by Lb. plantarum AF1 plus Lb. plantarum HD1 is not toxic in male and female rats.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.139-148
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• 2018

Objectives : This study was performed to examine the toxicity on the long term procedure of Aconitum ciliare Decaisne pharmacopuncture(ADP) solution. Methods : To evaluate the long term toxicity of 3 different repeated doses, 60, 150, and 300 mg/kg/day for 13 weeks were injected into BALB/c mice, respectively. The ADP solution was injected into near ST36 of the right leg and normal saline of the same volume was used for the vehicle control group. To evaluate the toxicity of 60, 150, and 300 mg/kg of repeated doses for 13 weeks, toxic symptoms, weight measurement, hematological test, blood biochemical test, visual examination and weight measurement of major organs, and histopathological test were conducted. Results : No significant changes in toxic symptoms, weight measurement, hematological test, blood biochemical test, visual examination and weight measurement of major organs, and histopathological test were observed in different doses of ADP solution treated groups compared to vehicle control group. Conclusions : As a result, repeated dose at a concentration of 300 mg/kg or less is considered to be not harmful for clinical treatment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.349-361
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• 2013

Objectives : This study aimed to evaluate the single oral dose toxicity and four weeks repeated dose determination of Gamisasangja-tang (GST) in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods : In the single oral toxicity study, rats were orally administered a single dose of 0 and 5,000 mg/kg GST. There were 5 rats in each group. After single administration, mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes and gross pathological finding were observed for 14 days. In the 4-weeks repeated oral dose determination study, rats were orally administered a single dose of 0, 1,250, 2,500 or 5,000 mg/kg GST. There were 5 rats in each group. Mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes, food consumption and gross pathological finding were observed for 28 days. Organ weight, clinical chemistry and hematology were tested after 28 days. Results : There was no mortality in either of the two studies. There were also no significant differences in clinical sign, body weight, organ weights, hematological or serum chemical parameters between the GST and control groups. Conclusions : The results obtained in this study suggest that the 50% lethal dose of GST is over 5,000 mg/kg, so this finding would be expected to provide scientific evidence for the safety of GST.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.383-389
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• 2007

Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) regulates proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells and modulates function of the mature hematopoietic cells. In the previous study, we reported that hGM-CSF could be produced in transgenic rice cell suspension culture, termed rhGM-CSF. In the present study we examined the single and repeated dose toxicity of rice cells-derived hGM-CSF in SD rats. During single dose toxicity study for 7 days, there were no any toxic effects at any dose of from 10 to $1000{\mu}g/kg$. The lethal dose ($LD_{50}$) was not found in this range. Moreover, repeated dose toxicity study of 14-days period and at the doses of 50 and $200{\mu}g/kg$ (i. v.) of rhGM-CSF did not show any changes in food and water intake. There were also no significant changes in both body and organ weights between the control and the test groups. The hematological and blood biochemical parameters were statistically not different in all the groups. These results suggest that rhGM-CSF has no toxicity in SD rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2019

Thymus vulgaris L. is widely used as an ingredient in cooking and in herbal medicine. However, there is little information about its toxicity. The present study was performed to evaluate the acute and repeated 28-day oral dose toxicity of thyme essential oil in rats. For the acute toxicity test, two groups of three rats were used. The rats received a single dose of essential oil: 300 or 2,000 mg/kg of body weight (bw). The rats were observed individually during the first four hours, and then daily until day 14. For the toxicity test with repeated doses, four groups of 10 rats were used. Doses of 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg/day were tested for 28 days. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected and the animals were sacrificed. Histopathological examination showed that in the lungs of rats given the 2,000 mg/kg bw dose, polymorph nuclear infiltrates, hemosiderin macrophages, and interstitial space thickening were present. In the repeated dose study, all rats survived the 28-day treatment period and apparently showed no signs of toxicity. The hematological and biochemical parameters were not altered. The histopathological study of the organs showed severe changes in the lung, with the dose of 500 mg/kg/day; in the other organs, no alterations were observed or the changes were slight. The body weight was only altered in male rats given the 500 mg/kg dose. The relative weight of the organs did not show any significant changes. Our studies revealed that the essential oil of Thymus vulgaris has moderate oral toxicity according to the results of the acute test, whereas the results of the 28-day oral toxicity test suggest that the no-observed-adverse effect level (NOAEL) is greater than 250 mg/kg/day.