Biochemical Estimation in an Acute Toxicity Study of Narayana ChenduramA Siddha Formulation

Abstract

Introduction: Chendurams are more potent and its potency is further increased when combined with herbal juices. Chenduram is known to be effective when it is given at low concentration. Narayana Chenduram (NC) is a metal based siddha formulation that contains heavy metals like mercury, cinnabar, arsenic along with sulphur/sulphides. NC is used to treat Parkinson’s disease along with the polyherbal formulation Athimathura Gritham (AG). Aim: To evaluate the health status of the animals under acute oral toxicity study of NC. Biochemical estimation of heavy metals in liver, kidney, brain and serum was carried out. Histopathological study was also performed in liver and kidney. Materials and Methods: The present experimental study was conducted in Department of Anatomy, University of Madras, Chennai, India from October 2009 to December 2009. The heavy metals present in NC was analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrophotometry (ICP-OES) using acid digestion method. A single oral dose acute toxicity study of NC was conducted using acute toxic class method as per Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for the testing of chemicals. It was done using limit test method. The study was conducted by giving NC at a single dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight mixed in 10 mL of honey/kg body weight and rats were observed for 14 days for toxic signs. Total five animals were tested under this method to determine Lethal Dose 50 (LD50). On day 15, the distribution of heavy metals in liver, kidney, brain and serum was determined by ICP-OES using acid digestion method and was compared with control. Food and water intake, body weight were recorded before and after drug administration as per the guidelines. Histopathological examination of liver and kidney was performed in the same animals and compared with control. To find the effect of given adjuvant (honey) under acute oral toxicity study, NC at a single dose of 1000 mg mixed with 10 mL of honey/kg body weight was administered to one group of animals and NC at a single dose of 1000 mg mixed with 10 mL of sesame oil/kg body weight was given orally to another group of animals. After administration of test drug, the rats were observed for 14 days for toxic signs and on 15th day they were sacrificed to study histological changes in kidney and liver among these two groups. Adjuvant treated control group of animals were administered only with 10 mL of honey at a single dose and observed for 14 days and sacrificed on day 15 to study histology of liver and kidney and compared with control. Results: No mortality was observed at a single dose of 2000 mg/ kg under acute toxicity study. Hence, LD50 was greater than 2000 mg/kg body weight. ICP-OES analysis showed that the mean concentration of mercury was five times more than that of mean concentration of arsenic in the given sample weight of NC. Under acute toxicity study, after oral administration of NC at a single dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight, serum showed more significant accumulation of mercury than arsenic when compared to control groups. A single dose of 2000 mg NC produced hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity. At a single dose of NC at 1000 mg mixed with 10 mL honey showed less histopathological changes when compared with NC mixed with sesame oil. Adjuvant (honey) treated group did not show any histopathological toxicity in liver and kidney when compared with control. Conclusion: Though there was no mortality at a single dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight, serum showed marked accumulation of mercury that indicates toxicity. It produced signs of histopathological toxicity in liver and kidney. Dose dependent change was observed. Hence, it is recommended to use Chenduram at low doses.

Keywords

• cinnabar
• histopathological examination
• parkinsonism
• siddha medicines
• sulphur