Subchronic oral toxicity of turmeric oleoresin in pigs.

Turmeric oleoresin was fed for 102-109 days to groups of eight pigs (males and females) at dietary levels providing intakes of 60, 296 and 1551 mg/kg body weight/day. Twelve pigs served as controls. The highest dose group showed a reduction in weight gain and in food-conversion efficiency. Statistically significant dose-related increases in the weight of the liver and the thyroid were recorded at all dose levels. Pericholangitis, hyperplasia of the thyroid and epithelial changes in the kidney and urinary bladder were observed in the two higher dose groups. It is questionable whether a no-adverse-effect level can be established on the basis of the observations in this experiment. Further studies should be initiated to elucidate the mechanism of action of turmeric.