Acute and subchronic toxicity and the evaluation of safety pharmacology of Chinese herbal compound preparation “Shikuqin”

Abstract

“Shikuqin” (SKQ) powder consists of three Chinese herbs: Punica granatum L, Sophora flavescens Ait, and Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance. SKQ has been used for the treatment of diarrhea. In order to provide a comprehensive understanding of toxicity, the acute and sub-chronic toxicity and safety pharmacology of SKQ were evaluated in the present study. The result of the acute toxicity revealed that the LD50 of the valve was 28,379mg/kg.b.w, which was more than 5,000 mg/kg b.w. The 30-day sub-chronic toxicity test results revealed that compared with the control group, the clinical signs, hematology parameters and body weight of rats in each group had no significant differences. The viscera coefficient and histopathological examination results revealed that the SKQ powder could cause kidney and liver damage. In the safety pharmacology test, SKQ did not exhibit any toxicity to the central nervous system, cardiovascular system and respiratory system. In conclusion, SKQ powder could be considered safe for veterinary use.