TOXIC EFFECTS OF ERYCIBE-OBTUSIFOLIA, A CHINESE MEDICINAL HERB, IN MICE

Extract of stem of Erycibe obtusffolia (EO) at doses of 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg was experimentally tested through oral and intraperitoneal admin istration. Toxic effects of EO were assessed through functional change s of the liver and kidneys. Mice died immediately following the i.p. i njection at the dose of 10 mg/kg. However, no death occurred after the oral administration at the dose of 10, 20 or 30 mg/kg under close obs ervations for at least 2 weeks. Changes of several functional paramete rs in both the liver and kidney appeared simultaneously after the oral administration. Although the higher dose increased the levels of seru m glutamate-oxalate-transaminase (sGOT), serum glutamate-pyruvate-tran saminase (sGPT), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and decreased the leve ls of hematocrit at 6 h after the treatment, no distinct dose-dependen t relationship existed between the administered doses and the changes in functional parameters observed. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Scie nce Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.