Acute and subacute toxicity assessment of Madhulai Manappagu (Siddha herbal syrup formulation) in animal model.

Abstract

Madhulai Manappagu- a well-known sastric and widely prescribed Siddha herbal syrup formulation indicated for treating Veluppu Noi (Anaemia especially Iron deficiency Anaemia) has been in day today practice in Tamil Nadu for a quite longer decades. The syrup is a herbal preparation which has a sweet pleasant odour and a palatable taste, contain the juice of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) as the main ingredient. Though the formulation is a fruit juice, the safety profile of the syrup is not established and is being marketed without toxicological evaluation. The study is aimed at ascertaining the acute and sub-acute toxicity assessment of Madhulai Manappagu in Wistar Albino rats. The acute and sub-acute (28day repeated oral) toxicity studies were performed as per the guidelines mentioned in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 423 (adopted on December 2001) and TG 407 (adopted on October 2008) with slight modifications respectively. For acute toxicity study, three female rats were randomly selected as control; three female rats were randomly selected and were administered a single dose of 5,000mg/kg body weight per oral route. For sub-acute (28day repeated oral) toxicity studies, three doses of test drug MM of 500mg/kg/day (low dose), 750mg/kg/day (intermittent dose) and 1,000mg/kg/day (high dose) were selected for administration. Both sexes of Wistar Albino rats were randomized into four groups of 10 animals each (five males, five females). Group I was kept as control group. Group II, III and IV served as low, intermittent and high doses of MM respectively. Animals were observed for mortality, morbidity, body weight changes, feed and water intake. Haematology, clinical biochemistry, electrolytes, gross pathology, relative organ weight and histopathological examination were performed. In the acute toxicity study, rats showed no toxicological signs on behavior, gross pathology and body weight of rats when treated with a single dose of 5,000mg/kg body weight per oral route. In the subacute (28days repeated oral) toxicity study, rats have showed no significant changes on behavior, gross pathology, body weight, and hematological and biochemical parameters when treated with Madhulai Manappagu in three different doses. The toxicity studies which include both acute and 28days repeated (subacute) oral toxicity studies, revealed no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of Madhulai Manappagu in animals. Thus the safety of the drug in human usage was ensured.