Abstract

ACUTE & SUBACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF POLYHERBAL ANTI ARTHRITIC FORMULATION

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.