Safety profile of extractive from trunk of Salacia reticulata (Celastraceae)

The safety profile of an extractive from Salacia reticulata (Celastraceae) trunk (SE) was examined using an oral single dose toxicity test and chromos omal aberration test. In the oral toxicity test, SD rats were given SE at a dose of 5,000 mg/kg, No deaths or abnormalities in gross pathological find ings were observed during the study period, The rats given SE had diarrhea for a few days due to the pharmacological properties. Moreover, body weight gain was suppressed in both male and female rats given SE, compared to the controls, at 1 day after administration. In the chromosomal aberration tes t using cultured mammalian cells (CHL/IU), no cells with chromosomal aberra tions were observed. These results suggest that SE has no serious acute tox icity or mutagenicity.