• 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.

• 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.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.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.111-121
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• 2010

In order to investigate the preliminary repeat oral dose toxicity and to determine the highest dosage for further 4-week repeated dose toxicity test, Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan (LMF) has been showed various pharmacological effects, was orally administered to female and male rats, once a day for 14 days at dose levels of 2,000, 1,000, 500 and 0 (vehicle control) mg/kg (body weights) in a volume of 10 ml/kg. The mortality and changes on the body weights, clinical signs, hematology, serum biochemistry and gross observations were monitored with organ weight and histopathology of principle organs. As the results of 14-day repeated oral treatment of LMF, no LMF treatment related mortalities were detected up to 2,000 mg/kg in both male and female rats, respectively. In addition, no noticeable changes on the body weight and clinical signs were detected except for significant decreases on the body weights and gains restricted to male 2,000 mg/kg treated groups as compared with male vehicle control. No meaningful changes on the organ weights, hematological, serum biochemistrical, gross and histopathological findings were observed. Therefore the highest dosage in the 4-week repeated dose toxicity test is suggested as 2,000 mg/kg in both female and male rats, respectively.

• 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.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2017

Objectives : HT042 is a combination of three herbal extracts from the roots of Astragalus membranaceus, the stems of Eleutherococcus senticosus and the roots of Phlomis umbrosa, which has been demonstrated to increase longitudinal bone growth rate. The aim of this study was to assess the safety of HT042 after repeated oral administration. Methods : A 14-day repeated oral dose toxicity study was conducted using male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. HT042 was administered orally at repeated doses of 500, 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg/day for 14 days. Clinical signs and mortality were observed daily, whereas body weight and food consumption were recorded weekly throughout the experiment. At the end of the study, blood was taken from the posterior vena cava for hematology and serum biochemistry. All organs of the body surface, subcutis, head, thoracic cavity, and abdominal cavity were observed grossly. Then, the internal organs were removed and weighed. Results : No death occurred and no significant changes in clinical sign, body weight, food consumption and serum biochemistry parameters were observed in male and female rats over the study period. Although there were some alterations in hematologic and necropsy findings, and organ weights, these changes were not considered toxicologically significant. Conclusions : These results suggest that the 14-day repeated administration of HT042 does not produce any significant oral toxicity at doses of up to 2,000 mg/kg/day in male and female rats under the present experimental conditions.

• 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.18 no.3
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• pp.285-292
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• 2002

The repeated toxicity of Gleditschia-saponin produced and provided by S.S. Bio-Tech Bench Co. was evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats. Gleditschia-saponin was administered to rats by oral route at dose levels of high (180 mg/kg/day), medium (90 mg/kg/day) and low (45 mg/kg/day) once a day for 14 days. Saline was administered to another group of rats as control. Each group was consisted of 5 male and female rats. There were no dose-related changes in clinical findings, food and water consumption, organ weights, urine analysis, biochemical examination and hematological findings in all groups of animals treated with Gleditschia.- saponin, except body weights. Body weighs in male and female rats were increased significantly (p < 0.05) from day 4 to 14 in low, middle and high dose groups than control group. Body weight in high dose group was increased higher than control or low, middle dose groups on day 14. Gross and histopathological findings revealed no evidence of specific toxicity to Gleditschia.-saponin. Therefore, it was concluded that Gleditschia-saponin had no toxic or side effects in Sprague-Dawley rats in an repeated oral toxicity tests.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.10-15
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• 2012

A 12-week repeated-dose oral toxicity study of water-soluble Orostachys japonicus extract (WOJ) was performed in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats of both genders. Each group of ten rats was orally administered in doses of either 0 or 250 mg/day over a 12-week period. As a result, no WOJ-related changes were observed in terms of survival rate, clinical signs, body weight, or food intake. In addition, no difference in organ weight between the control and treated groups was detected. Furthermore, serum biochemistry parameters revealed some changes within normal ranges although significant decreases in total-bilirubin in the females. In spite of some alterations in serum biochemistry, the clinical signs, body weight changes from food intake, and autoptical remarks indicated that WOJ was not toxic. This study suggests that repeated treatment of O. japonicus very low toxicity and the NOAEL (no observed adverse effect dose) of WOJ exceeds 250 mg/kg in the SD rats.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.45-50
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• 2015

Objectives: In this study, we investigated the 4-week repeated-dose oral toxicity of gami-jakyak gamcho buja decoction (Mecasin) to develop safe treatments. Methods: In order to investigate the 4-week oral toxicity of Mecasin, we administered Mecasin orally to rats. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into four groups of five male and five female animals per group: group 1 being the control group and groups 2, 3, and 4 being the experimental groups. Doses of Mecasin of 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg of body weight were administered to the experimental groups, and a dose of normal saline solution of 10 mL/kg was administered to the control group. We examined the survival rate, weight, clinical signs, and gross findings for four weeks. This study was conducted under the approval of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. Results: No deaths occurred in any of the four groups. No significant changes in weights or food consumption between the control group and the experimental groups were observed. Serum biochemistry revealed that some groups showed significant decrease in inorganic phosphorus (IP) (P < 0.05). During necropsy on the rats, one abnormal macroscopic feature, a slight loss of fur, was observed in the mid dosage (1,000 mg/kg) male group. No abnormalities were observed in any other rats. In histopathological findings, the tubular basophilia and cast of the kidney and extramedullary hematopoiesis of the spleen were found. However, those changes were minimal and had occurred naturally or sporadically. No other organ abnormalities were observed. Conclusion: During this 4-week, repeated, oral toxicity test of Mecasin in SD rats, no toxicity changes due to Mecasin were observed in any of the male or the female rats in the high dosage group. Thus, we suggest that the doses in a 13-week, repeated test should be 0, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg respectively.