Traditionally, people use harvested Ferula gummosa for medicinal purposes. However, no information about its safety and toxicity is available. In the present study, the toxicological profile of sub-chronic oral administration of hydroalcoholic extract of F. gummosa radix is evaluated in rats. The extract was orally administrated at 100 and 600 mg/kg to male rats for 28 days. After 28 days, clinical signs, mortality, body weights, food and water consumption, organ weights, hematology, serum biochemistry, as well as histopathological and neurobehavioral changes were examined. Also, the sedative effect of this extract was evaluated in mice at the doses of 100, 600, and 800 mg/kg. Its cytotoxicity against human stroma-vascular cells and human renal epithelial cells were also evaluated. No lethality or adverse toxic signs were seen during the experimental period. There were no significant changes in body and organ weights, hematology, serum biochemistry, and histopathological examination. The extract decreased the rotarod performance, but did not increase pentobarbital-induced hypnosis. Also, F. gummosa extract significantly decreased cell viability at the concentrations of higher than 400 μg/mL. In conclusion, the sub-chronic toxicity study of F. gummosa hydroalcoholic extract demonstrated the extract to be safe for the tested dosage and route of administration.
Keywords: Cytotoxicity; Ferula gummosa; Medicinal plant; Sub-chronic toxicity.
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