Study on chronic toxicity of rhubarb extract in Sprague-Dawley rats
Wenxiang Yang,
Ji Liu,
Yanhua Zheng,
Jingjing Qu,
Xiaoqiao Tang,
Hong Bai,
Chunxia Liu,
Bolin Fan
Affiliations
Wenxiang Yang
Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Applied Toxicology, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430079, China
Ji Liu
Center for Food Evaluation, State Administration for Market Regulation, Beijing 10070, China
Yanhua Zheng
Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Applied Toxicology, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430079, China
Jingjing Qu
Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Applied Toxicology, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430079, China
Xiaoqiao Tang
Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Applied Toxicology, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430079, China
Hong Bai
Center for Food Evaluation, State Administration for Market Regulation, Beijing 10070, China; Corresponding author.
Chunxia Liu
Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Applied Toxicology, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430079, China; Corresponding author.
Bolin Fan
Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Applied Toxicology, Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuhan 430079, China; Corresponding author.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of rhubarb extract. Methods: SD rats were treated with rhubarb extract at 0, 101, 405 and 1620 mg/kg/day for 52 weeks. food consumption and body weights were recorded. Blood and urine samples were collected for serum biochemical evaluation and urinalysis, and organ tissues were collected for histopathological examination. Results: The rats of 1620 mg/kg group developed diarrhea symptoms with dark brown loose stool after exposure; decreased body weight and increased food consumption were observed in the 1620 mg/kg and 405 mg/kg groups; urine WBC and NIT was significantly increased in the male and female rats of 1620 mg/kg group, and the urine pH was decreased in male rats of 1620 mg/kg group; renal tubular pigmentation was observed in the 1620 mg/kg group. Conclusion: The NOAEL of rhubarb extract on chronic toxicity (52 weeks) of Sprague-Dawley rats was 101 mg/kg in female and 94 mg/kg in male, and the LOAEL was 408 mg/kg in female and 381 mg/kg in male. The target organ of toxicity was the kidney, and the target cells was tubular epithelial cells.
