Gireesh Kumar Singh1, Vikas Kumar. 1. Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Despite Fumaria indica (FI) widespread medicinal uses in the Indian traditional medicine, no systematic study of the potential toxicity of the plant has been described. AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess acute and sub-chronic toxicity of a 50% ethanolic extract of FI in mice and rats respectively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In acute toxicity study, Swiss strain albino mice of either sex were administered orally FI doses of 1, 2.5 and 5 g/kg and observed for behavioural changes and mortality, if any. In sub-chronic toxicity study, Charles Foster albino rats of either sex were administered two doses of FI i.e., 100 and 400mg/kg, p.o. for 30 consecutive days. During 30 days of treatment, rats were observed for any change in body weight and daily food and water intake. After 30 days, rats were sacrificed for haematological, biochemical and histopathology study. Control animals were administered 0.3% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) suspension by oral route. RESULTS: There was no mortality or abnormal behaviour, observed in acute toxicity study in mice at all the three dose levels. In sub-chronic toxicity study, FI did not produce any significant change in body weight and daily food and water intake of rats when compared to vehicle treated rats. Further, haematological and biochemical parameters were also found normal. Histopathological study revealed normal architecture of kidney and liver of FI treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: FI extract, provisionally standardized on its fumarate contents, seems to fulfill a preclinical criterion necessary for its further development as a clinically useful adaptogen.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Despite Fumaria indica (FI) widespread medicinal uses in the Indian traditional medicine, no systematic study of the potential toxicity of the plant has been described. AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess acute and sub-chronic toxicity of a 50% ethanolic extract of FI in mice and rats respectively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In acute toxicity study, Swiss strain albino mice of either sex were administered orally FI doses of 1, 2.5 and 5 g/kg and observed for behavioural changes and mortality, if any. In sub-chronic toxicity study, Charles Foster albino rats of either sex were administered two doses of FI i.e., 100 and 400mg/kg, p.o. for 30 consecutive days. During 30 days of treatment, rats were observed for any change in body weight and daily food and water intake. After 30 days, rats were sacrificed for haematological, biochemical and histopathology study. Control animals were administered 0.3% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) suspension by oral route. RESULTS: There was no mortality or abnormal behaviour, observed in acute toxicity study in mice at all the three dose levels. In sub-chronic toxicity study, FI did not produce any significant change in body weight and daily food and water intake of rats when compared to vehicle treated rats. Further, haematological and biochemical parameters were also found normal. Histopathological study revealed normal architecture of kidney and liver of FI treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: FI extract, provisionally standardized on its fumarate contents, seems to fulfill a preclinical criterion necessary for its further development as a clinically useful adaptogen.
Authors: Marco Antonio Costa; João Carlos Palazzo de Mello; Edílson Nobuyoshi Kaneshima; Tânia Ueda-Nakamura; Benedito Prado Dias Filho; Elisabeth Aparecida Audi; Celso Vataru Nakamura Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med Date: 2013-07-18 Impact factor: 2.629