Subacute toxicity of 15 commonly used Chinese drugs (II)

Abstract

As befitting the sabline designation of ”the art of healing”, traditionally the development of professional acumen in the practice of traditional. Chinese medicine relies heavily on years of accumulated clinical observations. The shortcomings are the relative lack of hard evidence, systemic documentation and uniformity in interpretation, which result in the unfortunate aura of mystique and reluctance in general acceptance. Relatively little is known about the toxicological profiles of the 400-commonly-used Chinese medicinal drugs listed in the ”Standard of Chinese Drugs, ROC”. The present project, entitled ”the evaluation of the subacute toxicity of commonly used Chinese medicinal drugs”, of which the present report was a part, was initiated to provide experimental evidence to support or refute vague claims in traditional Chinese pharmacopoias and reference for future studies. The subacute toxicological and behavioral effects of 50% ethanol crude extracts of the following traditional Chinese medicinal drugs administered in single dosage (5, 10 g/kg, p.o., per day for 14 days) were quantitatively evaluated: 1. Baijiangcao, 2. Baimagen, 3. Baizhi, 4. Chuanxiong, 5. Dangshen, 6. Hanfangji, 7. Huangjing, 8. Jinyinhua, 9. Luhui, 10. Rendong, 11. Shengma, 12. Songjie, 13. Wujiapi, 14. Zexie, 15. Zhimu, respectively. The maximal tolerable doses ranging from 1/10 to 1/5 of LD50 were used as the reference dosages in this subacute experiment. In gross observations, it was found the water intake was decreased significantly after continuous oral administration of Hanfangji, Luhui or Zexie. The urinary output was decreased upon treatment with Luhui was also found. In hematological assessment, it was found that total WBC counts were temporary affected by Dangshen and Luhui. Clinical blood chemistry evaluation showed that the whole body nutrient standard reference values such as plasma total protein (T-P), or serum albumin content (ALB) were affected by Baijiangcao, Baimagen, Dangshen, Jinyinhua, Luhui, Songjie, & Zhimu. The standard liver functional test such as SGPT were significantly increased by Baijiangcao, Chuanxiong, Jinyinhua, Rendong, Shengma, Wujiapi and Zexie in all tested doses. The standard kidney functional test such as creatinine was transiently decreased by Huangfing, Luhui, & Songjie, while incresed by Wujiapi in initial treatment. In urinary analysis, the protein urea is significantly increased after continuous treatment of Chuanxiong, Dangshen, Hanfangji, Jinyinhua, Rendong, Songjie, Wujiapi & Zexie. In behavioral toxicological evaluations, it was found Baijiangcao (both tested doses, in late phase), Shengma (5 g/kg, in initial phase), Songjie (5 g/kg, in initial phase), and Wujiapi (5 g/kg, al tested period) elicited marked inhibition on the locomotor activity; while Chuanxiong (1, 5 g/kg) caused a transient stimulation effect when compared with the control group. The tissue pathological reference standards such as the net tissue weight or water content of heart, liver, lung or kidney during postmortem examination were affected by ;all of the tested herbs, except Baimagen. No evidence of any irreversible visible pathological damage or mortality attributable to any of the test drugs occurred during the experimental period of 15 days. It is anticipated that these retrospective studies on subacute toxicity will provide reliable toxicological profiles of those Chinese drugs approved by the National Health Insurance Program in ROC.