Safety of the traditional Korean herbal medicine CGX: a 6-month repeated-dose study in rats

J Ethnopharmacol. 2010 Mar 2;128(1):221-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2010.01.019. Epub 2010 Jan 14.

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: CGX is a traditional Korean herbal medicine used to treat chronic liver diseases.

Aim of study: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmaceutical safety of hepatoprotective herbal medicine, CGX via systemic 6-month repeated dose toxicity study in SD rats.

Materials and methods: Male and female SD rats were administered CGX for 6 months (0, 100, 200, or 400 mg kg(-1), respectively). The rats were visually inspected for changes in behavior, body weight, food and water consumption, and appearance during the experiment period. At the end of the experiment, urine, hematological, biochemical analysis, and histopathological examination were carried out.

Results: No drug-induced abnormalities were found as clinical signs or in the histopathology, hematology, blood biochemistry, and urinalysis results for any administered doses of CGX.

Conclusion: The results suggest that CGX is safe and could be considered as an effective and prospective herbal formulation in clinical applications with a wide therapeutic index.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Herbal Medicine*
  • Korea
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Medicine, Traditional*
  • Organ Size / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley