Study of acute and chronic toxicity of plai (zingiber cassumunar roxb) in rats.

ABSTRACT

The study was carried out to evaluate the possible acute and chronic toxicity of Plai in rats. The study was divided into two parts. The acute toxicity test. LD50 (lethal dose 50) of alcohol and hexane extract Plai were 20 grams and 80 grams per kilogram body weight of rats respectively, while the therapeutic dose of the Plai was 10 to 20 mgs per kilogram body weight per day only. The chronic toxicity test (6 months). The total number of rats was 112. Twenty eight out of 112 were selected for control. The remainder animals were divided into 3 groups given the Plai at the level of 0.5, 3 and 8% level the animals showed retardation of growth; the other were in normal limit. Urinalysis, haematological, biochemical and pathology examination were performed. No any significant abnormal urinary, haematological and biochemical findings and definite pathological changes were found. We concluded that at the therapeutic dose Plai shows neither acute nor chronic toxicity.