28-day oral toxicity study of the aqueous extract from spider brake (Pteris multifida Poiret) in rats

Food Chem Toxicol. 2007 Sep;45(9):1757-63. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2007.03.010. Epub 2007 Mar 23.

Abstract

Spider brake (Pteris multifida Poiret) is a very important folk herb and a constituent in most of the traditional herbal beverage formulas in Taiwan; however, little toxicological information is available regarding the safety following repeated exposure. The present study was conducted to evaluate the toxicity of aqueous extract from spider brake (SB) in Sprague-Dawley rats on dietary oral gavage at concentrations of 100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg b.w. day for 28 days. There were no adverse effects on general condition, growth, feed and water consumption, feed conversion efficiency, red blood cell and clotting potential parameters, clinical chemistry values, and organ weights except for neutrophils and lymphocytes being slightly diminished in male and female rats at the highest dose, respectively. Necropsy and histopathology findings revealed no treatment-related changes in any of the organs. The results obtained in this study allowed us to conclude that the SB properly utilized in the traditional oral administration could be devoid of any toxic risk.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Chemical Analysis
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Consumer Product Safety
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drinking / drug effects
  • Eating / drug effects
  • Female
  • Intubation, Gastrointestinal
  • Leukocyte Count
  • Male
  • No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level
  • Organ Size / drug effects
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
  • Plant Extracts / toxicity*
  • Pteris / chemistry*
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Taiwan
  • Toxicity Tests

Substances

  • Plant Extracts