ABSTRACT
Objective@# To evaluate the safety of a herbal pilatory for external use.@*Methods @#An acute eye irritation test were employed to detect the eye irritation of the herbal pilatory;a skin irritation test,a skin sensitization test and a skin phototoxicity test were employed to detect the dermal toxicity;Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation assay（Ames test）and chromosome aberration test in CHL cells were employed to detect the effects of the pilatory on gene mutation and chromosome aberration in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. @*Results@# When the eyes of rabbits exposed to the pilatory without rinse during the first 24 hours,the conjunctiva showed congestion and edema with the highest score of 2,corneal opacity was observed with the highest score of 1;however,these symptoms returned to normal within 72 hours,with the score reduced to 0. No irritation to the skin of rabits was found after exposed to the pilatory for fourteen days,no skin sensitization was introduced by Buehler test and no skin phototoxicity on guinea pigs was detected. There was no abnormal growth of reverse mutation colonies induced by the pilatory under S9 acitivation or not. There was no statistically significant rise of chromosome aberration rate in the exposed CHL cells compared to the control groups（P>0.05）. @*Conclusion @#Under the condition,the herbal pilatory showed mild and reversible irritation to eyes,while no dermal toxicity and genetic toxicity were observed. The safety of the herbal pilatory for external use is acceptable.