Abstract

ACUTE AND SUB ACUTE TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF HYPERICUM HOOKERIANUM

Badarunisha, Yalaga Rama Rao and Uma Devi P* and Mohammed Rafiqkhan

ABSTRACT

Herbal drugs are playing an important role in health care all over the world, especially in developing countries because they are being cheap, locally available and consider being safe. But the natural origin may not signify that they are safe. Hypericum Hookerianum is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat various diseases across the world. However, there is no toxicological information available regarding its safety after exposure. The present study was designed to evaluate potential toxicity of an ethanolic extract of Hypericum Hookerianum after acute and sub-acute administration in swiss albino mice. In the acute toxicity study, mice were treated with ethanolic extract by oral gavage at a single dose level of 4000mg/kg body weight according to OECD 425. Animals were observed periodically and thereafter for 28 days. In the acute toxicity study, the ethanolic extract of Hh was administered orally at doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight daily for 28 days in swiss albino mice. The effects on clinical signs, body weight and organ weight were studied. No mortality was observed, but clinical signs like abdominal breathing, scratching and tremors were observed. No statistical significant data in body weight and organ weight were observed. No-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOEL) of the extract is considered to be up to 4000 mg kg-1 day-1 for 28 days in mice.

Keywords: Hypericum hookerianum, acute toxicity, sub-acute toxicity, doses, symptoms