• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.157-172
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• 1999

This treatise, after review recent data on Oriental Medical toxicity, gets a conclusion on toxic concept of Oriental Medicine. 1. In the oriental medicine, the concept of toxic character contains propensity which disposition is inclined, and general meaning covered with the effect of a medicine, a side effect, formation of a medicine Besides, the concept diversely is used in the cause of a disease, names, symptoms, how to treat, medicines, prevention name, etc. 2. Every herbal drugs has toxic character. Levels of toxicity are nonexistence(無毒), existence(有毒), a little(小毒), always(常毒), serious(大毒), fatal toxic(劇毒), whose concepts in the Oriental Medicine are divided relative and absolute at the same time. 3. The examples of the fatal events by poisoning up to now are more than 400 cases(in China). 4. The factors of toxicity are the amount used unsuitably, the combination, directions, and interactions between western and oriental medicine, etc. The reduction of toxicity and how to detoxicate is several methods. The toxic science in Oriental Medicine based on the formation of oriental medicine present principles which use herbal drugs safely and availablely, utilizing th dispositions and efficiencies. It has positive, learning spirits which prevent abuse of oriental medicine, and which exactly diagnose and use the herbal drugs in the treatment with absolute toxic medicine. However, I think that scientific, positive experimental research is necessary to setup dose-response relation, be in relative quantity of toxic character, operate on the reactive mechanism exactly.

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.39-44
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• 2009

All medicines are poisonous, and there are none free from poison. Thus, all things may be regarded as poisonous. And poison and medicine is the same one of which actions differ from each other. Medicine may be good medicine or poison according to doses, whether chemical medicine or herbal one. Herbal medicine falls into the category of natural materials. From ancient times humankind has Been using animals and plants as food, but on the other hand, chemical medicine is unfamiliar relatively to natural materials. Somecine is unfamilis, absorbed into the human boan, are transformed and help deemicfication. Other medicines protect the gastric mucous membrane and are demulcent, and inhibithemica materials from being absorbed. In some cases, ine is unfamilis function as deemicfiers in combination withhemica materials, and remove the toxicity and side effect caused by drug properties. Herbal medicine causes less side effects, as compared to chemical one, and thus can work effectively. As the case stands, some deem that herbal medicine does not cause problems despite high dose and long-term use because it is nontoxic or low-toxic. However, herbal medicine may be also poisonous though it is used at a very low dose. Even a deadly poison may produce therapeutic results satisfactorily without side effects, on condition that it is used properly.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.93-98
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• 2009

In this research, the acute toxicity of fermented Yukmijihwangtang extract was examined using male and female ICR mice, To evaluate the acute toxity and safety, 0(control group), 1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg of fermented Yukmijihwangtang extract were orally administered to male and female ICR mice. After single administration, we observed survival rates, general toxicity, changes of body weight for the 14 days and autopsy at 1 day following the administration according to the Regulation of Korean Food and Drug Administration. Compared with the control group, we could not find any toxic alteration in all treated groups (1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg). $LD_{50}$ of fermented Yukmijihwangtang extract might be over 5000 mg/kg and it is very safe to ICR mice.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2012

Previous studies have shown that modified Je-Ho-Tang (MJHT) has anti-platelet effects. Je-Ho-Tang (JHT), a Korean court beverage, is a traditional Korean herbal medicine that has been used for the treatment of a disease attended by great thirst, and for prevention of illness in hot summers. We made MJHT from JHT by excluding honey. The present study was performed to determine the acute oral toxicity of crude extract of MJHT in male and female ICR mice. We investigated the in vivo single dose acute toxicity of MJHT hot-water extraction. This test was orally administered once by gavage to 20 mice of each sex received doses of 0 (control group), 1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg body weight. Mortalities, clinical findings, autopsy findings and body weight changes were monitored daily for 14 days following the administration. We observed survival rates, general toxicities, changes of body weight, and autopsy. No significant lethality was observed after single oral administration of MJHT at the different dosages. Autopsies on the animals revealed no gross abnormalities. Therefore, the LD50 value of MJHT for ICR mice was estimated more than 5000 mg/kg by the oral route. These results suggest that no toxic dose level of MJHT in mice is considered to be more than 5000 mg/kg. Consequently, it was concluded that MJHT have no effect on acute toxicity and side effect in ICR mice.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.957-964
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• 2004

Herbal medicines are increasingly used to treat various diseases and lots of studies have been reported that they had benefits in treating and preventing of diseases. But organic toxicity is increasingly recognized as herbal medicines become more popular in industrialized countries. Some herbal products potentially benefit people with lots of diseases, however these benefits remain generally unproved in humans, and a greater awareness for potential adverse effects is required. A herb containing a wide variety of, mostly unknown, substances may well include some with unwanted effects. This review focuses on emerging organic toxicities that have been observed associated with various herbal preparations involving the liver, kidney, and heart, and patterns of organ injury, potential risk factors for organic toxicities. In addition to the potential for organic toxicities, drug drug interactions between herbal medicines and conventional agents may affect the efficacy and safety of concurrent medical therapy. Appropriate reporting and regulatory system to monitor herbal toxicity are required, in conjunction with ongoing scientific evaluation of the potential benefits of phytotherapy.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.85-92
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• 2001

Objective : This study was purposed to investigate the acute. subacute toxicity of Herbal acupuncture with Juglandis Semen(JsD) in mice and rats. Methods & Results: Balb/c mice were injected intraperitoneally with JsD for $LD_{50}$ and acute toxicity test Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intraperitoneally with JsD for subacute toxicity test. Results: The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. LD50 was uncountable as could not find the expired of treat group. 2. The clinical signs and body weight changes of mice treated with 0.2cc, 0.4cc JsD were not affected during the acute toxicity test. 3. In acute toxicity test of serum biochemical values of mice, total protein was increased in treat-l group, compared with normal group, and total cholesterol was increased in treat-2 group, compared with normal group.(P<0.05) 4. In subacute toxicity test, main toxic syndrome was not found. 5. The body weight was decreased in treat-2 group, compared with normal group and relative liver weight was decreased in treat-1, 2 group, compared with normal group in subacute toxicity test.(P<0.05) 6. In subacute toxicity test, WBC, MCH, MCHC were decreased in treat-2 group and RBC was increased in treat-2 group, compared with normal group in complete blood count test.(P<0.05) 7. In subacute toxicity test, treat groups were not changed serum biochemical values of rats, compared with normal group.(P<0.05) Conclusions: According to the results, Herbal-acupuncture with Juglandis Semen caused no toxicity.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.189-200
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the current state of quantitative literature evidence for the prescription of 56 herbal medicines covered by health insurance that have been studied in Korea for the past 30 years, to evaluate the reliability of the evidence, and to find out the research direction of herbal medicine prescription in the future. Methods: 56 kinds of herbal medicine prescriptions were searched in domestic literature search databases OASIS, DBpia, and overseas PubMed, classified into chemistry, toxicity, cells, animals, clinical cases, and clinical trial studies, and built into an EBM pyramid structure. Results: When classified according to research contents, there were 61 cases (7.5%) of physicochemical analysis to identify constituent substances, 80 cases (9.8%) of toxicity evaluation, and 672 cases (82.7%) of efficacy evaluation. The efficacy evidence was classified according to the evidence-based medical pyramid structure: 196 cell trials (29.1%), 372 animal trials (55.4%), 89 case and case reporting series (13.3%), 7 comparative case studies (1.1%), and 8 randomized control clinical trials (1.2%). In the pyramid composition, the basis for the validity of 56 kinds of herbal medicines prescribed was 568 cases (84.5%) in cell and animal units, which could not be said to be highly reliable. There was no relationship between the ranking of quantitative literature evidence for herbal medicine prescriptions and the ranking of salary administration. Conclusions: In an era that continues to require scientific evidence for herbal medicine, traditional herbal medicine should secure the basis for safety validity even for the 10th most frequent prescription among 56 herbal medicine prescriptions for consumers. In particular, traditional herbal medicine should increase the quantitative and qualitative level of case reports on related herbal medicine prescriptions, focusing on each clinical society, and move toward comparative case studies and randomized clinical trial so that traditional herbal medicine is positioned as Evidence-based medicine.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.141-152
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• 2011

Objective : This study was carried out to investigate the acute toxicity and safety of Insampaedok-san and Fermented Insampaedok-san. Methods : SPF ICR male and female mice were administered orally with Insampaedok-san and Fermented Insampaedok-san. of 0(control group), 1,250, 2,500 and 5,000 mg/kg. After single administration, we daily examined number of deaths, clinical signs, gross findings and changes of body weight for 14 days. Hematological parameters and isolated organ weights were determined after 14 days of administration. Results : No dead animal and no significant changes of body weights were found during experimental period. In addition, no differences were found between control and all of treated groups in clinical signs, organ weights, hematology, and other findings. Conclusions : Insampaedok-san and Fermented Insampaedok-san. did not show any toxic effects and oral $LD_{50}$ values of the extracts was over 5,000 mg/kg in ICR mice.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the acute toxicity and safety of Gumiganghwal-tang (Jiuweiqianghou-tang) in Sprague-Dawley rats though the current regulatory guideline. Methods : The preliminary study showed that the single oral administration of Gumiganghwal-tang(Jiuweiqianghou-tang) did not induce any toxic effect at a dose level of 2000 mg/kg. Based on the results, 2000 mg/kg was selected as the limited dose. In this study, 10 rats of each sex were randomly assigned to two groups of 5 rats each and were administrated singly by gavage at dose levels of 0 and 2000 mg/kg. Mortalities, clinical signs, and body weight changes were monitored for the 15-day period following administration. At the end of observation period, all animals were sacrificed and complete gross postmortem examinations were performed. Results : Throughout the study period, no treatment-related deaths were observed. There were no adverse effects on clinical signs, body weight, and gross findings at all treatment groups. Conclusions : These results showed that the single oral adminstration of Gumiganghwal-tang(Jiuweiqianghou-tang) did not cause any toxic effect at the dose levels of 2000 mg/kg in rats. In conclusion, the $LD_{50}$ of Gumiganghwal-tang (Jiuweiqianghou-tang) was considered to be over 2000 mg/kg body for both sexes.

• 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.