• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.77-88
• /
• 2015

Lithospermum erythrorhizon has long been used in traditional Asian medicine for the treatment of diseases, including skin cancer. The oral toxicity of a hexane extract of Lithospermum erythrorhizon root (LEH) was investigated in Beagle dogs by using single escalating doses, two-week dose range-finding, and 4-week oral repeat dosing. In the single dose-escalating oral toxicity study, no animal died, showed adverse clinical signs, or changes in body weight gain at LEH doses of up to 2,000 mg/kg. In a 2 week dose range-finding study, no treatment-related adverse effects were detected by urinalysis, hematology, blood biochemistry, organ weights, or gross and histopathological examinations at doses of up to 500 mg LEH/kg/day. In the 4 week repeat-dose toxicity study, a weight loss or decreased weight gain was observed at 300 mg/kg/day. Although levels of serum triglyceride and total bilirubin were increased in a dose dependent manner, there were no related morphological changes. Based on these findings, the sub-acute no observable adverse effect level for 4-week oral administration of LEH in Beagles was 100 mg/kg/day.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.47-59
• /
• 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 Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.18-26
• /
• 2014

Objectives: This study was performed to check for reversibility in the changes induced by a 13-week, repeated, dose toxicity test of Sweet Bee Venom (SBV) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: Fifteen male and 15 female SD rats were treated with 0.28 mg/kg of SBV (high-dosage group) and the same numbers of male and female SD rats were treated with 0.2 mL/kg of normal saline (control group) for 13 weeks. We selected five male and five female SD rats from the high-dosage group and the same numbers of male and female SD rats from the control group, and we observed these rats for four weeks. We conducted body-weight measurements, ophthalmic examinations, urinalyses and hematology, biochemistry, histology tests. Results: (1) Hyperemia and movement disorder were observed in the 13-week, repeated, dose toxicity test, but these symptoms were not observed during the recovery period. (2) The rats in the high-dose group showed no significant changes in weight compared to the control group. (3) No significant differences in the ophthalmic parameters, urine analyses, complete blood cell counts (CBCs), and biochemistry were observed among the recovery groups. (4) No changes in organ weights were observed during the recovery period. (5) Histological examination of the thigh muscle indicated cell infiltration, inflammation, degeneration, necrosis of muscle fiber, and fibrosis during the treatment period, but these changes were not observed during the recovery period. The fatty liver change that was observed during the toxicity test was not observed during the recovery period. No other organ abnormalities were observed. Conclusion: The changes that occurred during the 13-week, repeated, dose toxicity test are reversible, and SBV can be safely used as a treatment modality.

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

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.103-107
• /
• 1999

In order to evaluate acute toxicity of Coptidis rhizoma, 6 week- and 13 week-old male ICR mice received Coptidis rhizoma extract (600~4,800 mg/kg body weight) orally, and toxicological responses were observed for consecutive 7 days. In the mice received relatively high concentration of Coptidis rhizoma($\geq$1,200mg/kg), death occurred within 3 hrs after oral administration, and its ratio in 13 week-old mice was conspicuously higher than that in 6 week-old mice. $LD_{50}$ of Coptidis rhizoma were estimated to bi 2,575 mg/kg and 1,490 mg/kg body weight in 6 week and 13 week-old mice, respectively. Coptidis rhizoma-treated animals manifested a variety of abnormal clinical findings such as ptosis, crouching, lethargy, convulsion, bizarre behavior and truning sideway. These abnormalities also ranked highly in the 13 week-old mice compared to those in the 6 week-old mice. In addition to abnormal behaviors, Coptidis rhizoma($\geq$1,200 mg/Kg) significantly elevated the urinary contents of bilirubin, urobilirubin, protein and glucose, and values in 13 week-old mice was higher than those in 6 week-old animals. No toxicological response was observed at concentration less than 600 mg/kg. Our results clearly demonstrate that susceptibility of mice to Coptidis rhizoma may be related with age, indicating that younger age mice is more resistant to the Coptidis rhizoma than the older, and toxicological mechanism of Coptidis rhizoma may be closely associated with its pharmacological mechanism.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.9-17
• /
• 1999

This study was performed to evaluate the subacute toxicity of CJ-50002 (Vibrio Vaccine) in SPF Spraqur-Dawley (SD) rats. Vibrio vaccine was administered orally at a dose level of high (167mg/kg/day), medium (16.7mg/kg/day), and low (16.7mg/kg/day) once a day and repeated fro 4 weeks. Ten males and female rats were assigned to each group. After 4 week administration, no significant dose-dependent changes in body weight, water and food consumption rate or organ weight were noted dependent changes in body weight, water and food consumption rate or organ weight were noted among 4 groups. Urinanalysis, hematology, and serum chemistry, also fail to detect any dose-related change among 4 groups tested. During necropsy and histopathological examination, no specific toxicity related to treated material was found. The result of this study demonstrated that vibrio vaccine when administered orally for 4 weeks at a high dose of 167mg/kg/day, no dose-related toxicity was found in treated make and female rats.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.59-69
• /
• 2002

Recently, recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO) has been used to treat various types of anemia. YHB216 is a new rHu-EPO developed by Yuhan Research Institute. In this study, we investigated the single dose and 4-week repeated dose toxicity of YHB216 in Beagle dogs. In the single dose toxicity study, YHB216 was administered intravenously at single dose levels of 0 and 25,000 IU/kg to dogs (2 dogs/sex/group). There were no treament-related changes in survivals, clinical signs, body weight gain, hematological values, blood chemical values, and necropsy finding during experimental period. In the repeated dose toxicity study, YHB216 was administered intravenously to dogs for 4 weeks at the dose levels of 0, 100, 500, and 2,500IU／kg (3 dogs/sex／group). There were no toxicologically significant changes in clinical signs, body weights, food and water consumptions, ophthalmoscopy, urinalysis and blood chemistry. There were increased values of red blood cell, hemoglobin, and hematocrit at all treated groups. Spleen revealed increased weight and extramedullary hematopoiesis at 500 IU/kg or more. These changes are all considered to be Pharmacology-related effects and were recovered after 4-week recovery period. From these results, it is concluded that LD50 value was above 25,000 IU/kg in the single dose toxicity study of YHB216 in dogs and the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) was 100 IU/kg day in the repeated dose toxicity study of YHB216 in dogs.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.72-79
• /
• 2003

The present study was conducted to investigate the potential subacute toxicity of AS6, [(3$\beta$, 4$\alpha$)-3,23-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid], by a 4-week repeated oral administration in Sprague-Dawley rats. To test the subacute toxicity, AS6 was administered once daily by gavage to rats at dose levels of 0, 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. There were no treatment-related effects on mortality, clinical signs, body weight, food and water consumption, ophthalmoscopy, urinalysis, hematology, serum biochemistry, necropsy findings, organ weights, and histopathology in any treatment group. In the condition of this study, target organ was not observed and the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was considered to be 1000 mg/kg/day for both male and female rats.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2014

Objectives: Mountain ginseng pharmacopuncture (MGP) is a pharmacopuncture made by distilling extract from mountain cultivated ginseng or mountain wild ginseng. This pharmacopuncture is injected intravenously, which is a quick, lossless way of strongly tonifying Qi function. The present study was undertaken to evaluate a 4-week, repeated, intravenous injection, toxicity test of MGP in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: Twenty male and female 6-week-old SD rats were used as subjects. We divided the SD rats into 4 groups: the high-dosage (10 mL/kg), medium-dosage (5 mL/kg), low-dosage (2.5 mL/kg) and control (normal saline) groups. MGP or normal saline was injected intravenously into the caudal vein of the rats once daily for 4 weeks. Clinical signs, body weights, and food consumption were monitored during the observation period, and hematology, serum biochemistry, organ weight, necropsy, and histological examinations were conducted once the observations had been completed. Results: No mortality was observed in any of the groups during the observation period. No changes due to MGP were observed in the experimental groups regarding clinical signs, body weights, food consumption, hematology, serum biochemistry, organ weight and necropsy. No histological changes due to MGP were observed in any of the male or female rats in the high-dosage group. Conclusion: During this 4-week, repeated, intravenous injection, toxicity test of MGP in SD rats, no toxic changes due to MGP were observed in any of the male or female rats in the high-dosage group. Thus, we suggest that the high and the low doses in a 13-week, repeated test should be 10 mL/kg and 2.5 mL/kg, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
• /
• 2001.10a
• /
• pp.169-169
• /
• 2001

This study was designed to evaluate an acute and subacute intravenous dose toxicity of a new cephalosporin antibiotic agent, IDC-7181 in 7-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. IDC-7181 was intravenously injected to rats at dose levels of 0, 3.2, 16, 80, 400 and 2, 000 mg/kg/day for single dose toxicity study and at dose levels of 0, 10, 50 and 250 mg/kg/day for 4 week-repeated dose toxicity study. All rats survived throughout the study periods.(omitted)