Study on oral acute toxicity and anti-inflammatory effects of Cao Khai traditional medicine produced in Ninh Thuan province, Vietnam

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate oral acute toxicity and anti-inflammatory effect of Cao Khai traditional medicine produced in Ninh Thuan province. In vivo experiments used 6-to-8-week-old Swiss albino mice, weighing around 22 g. Oral acute toxicity of Cao Khai traditional medicine was investigated at 5000 mg/kg dose with a volume of 50 mL/kg by monitoring mortality and toxicity within 14 days. Changes in weight, hematologic indices, liver function and kidney function are recorded at the end of experiment. Anti –infammatory effects at 400 and 800 mg/kg doses were determined in 1% carrageenan-induced paw ederma mouse model, with 8 mice per group. Diclofenac at the dose of 5 mg/kg was used as a drug reference. This results showed that Cao Khai traditional medicine did not show any signs of oral acute toxicity in mice at 5000 mg/kg dose, and is classified in the category 6 - a nearly non-toxic substance according to GSH (Globally Harmonised System for Classification of Chemicals). Furthermore, the Cao Khai traditional medicine did not significantly influence the body weight, erythrocyte, leukocyte and platelet indices, liver function and kidney function compared with the records after the 14-day experiment (p > 0.05). Cao Khai traditional medicine exhibited anti-inflammatory effect at 400 and 800 mg/kg doses by significantly decreasing hind paw edema in mice (p < 0.05), but onset more slowly than drug reference diclofenac at the dose of 5 mg/kg.