Abstract
Eclipta alba is used as a medicinal herb in many herbal preparations including most of hair oils produced in India. The E. alba extracts are part of many Ayurvedic/herbal medicines with hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Aqueous extract, hydroalcoholic extracts and methanolic extract are reported to possess hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Studies in Burkina Faso have demonstrated that soaking seeds with 2.5% E. alba aqueous extract for 6 h improved seed quality parameters followed by increased yield in sorghum. Accordingly, it has been proposed to use E. alba for seed treatment on a larger scale. Hence it was relevant to test the toxicity of E. alba. The purpose of this study was to test the acute oral toxicity, dermal irritation and eye irritation of aqueous extract of E. alba dried leaves in Sprague Dawley rats and New Zealand white rabbits. The acute toxicity studies were carried out based on OECD guidelines 423. The highest dose administered at 2000 mg/kg body weight did not produce mortality or changes in general behaviour of the test animals indicating safety of the oral administration of aqueous E. alba extract in Sprague Dawley rats. The acute dermal irritation study in Newzealand white rabbits was investigated according to OECD test guideline No. 404. The E. alba fine powder applied to the intact left flank of female rabbit did not elicit any skin reactions at the application site of animal at any of the observation time points and hence ‘Non Irritant’ to the rabbit skin. The acute eye irritation study on Newzealand white rabbits did not cause corneal opacity, iris and conjunctivae in any of the treated animals and did not cause staining of the treated eye and is termed as ‘not irritating’ to the rabbit eyes / eye mucosa. The toxicological studies prove that the E. alba aqueous extract are safe to be used as seed treatment and can be handled safely by humans under field conditions.
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