ACUTE & SUBACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF POLYHERBAL ANTI ARTHRITIC FORMULATION
*Rakesh H.Nikam, Vaishali R. Undale, Amol A. Rasal, Dr. Ashok V. Bhosale
Abstract
Plants have always been playing an important role as potential source
of drugs. Herbal medicines have been extensively used in developed
countries as they are natural and relatively safe. Though the Herbal
formulation thought to be safe and effective, WHO has recommended
their evaluation for toxicity. The principle underlying the use of more
than one plant/plant product in the formulations is that they may
produce synergistic and/or additive effects, or one may neutralize the
toxic effect of another. So in this study the developed Polyherbal
formulation was evaluated for its acute and sub acute toxicity. In an
acute toxicity study the Polyherbal antiarthritic formulation was
administered orally at the dose of 2000 mg/kg in mice and observed
closely for mortality and toxicity. In sub acute toxicity studies
Polyherbal formulation at dose of 500mg/kg and its individual
ingredients were administered orally at its individual doses that had been used in formulation
to rats for 28 days. The bodyweight, haematological and biochemical parameters were
evaluated during study. On 29th day rats were sacrificed and histopathological changes in
heart, kidney, liver and spleen were studied. The results of the sub acute toxicity study shows
no any change in the hematological, biochemical parameters and histological changes in vital
organs. So it is concluded that the polyherbal antiarthritic formulation is safe at the
therapeutic dose studied as the components of the formulation modulate effect of each other
to maintain physiological function. The results indicate the safety of the formulation even in
the long term treatment.
Keywords: Arthritis, acute and sub acute toxicity.
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