title: Toxicological study on MUNOPHIL, water extract of Panax ginseng and Hericium erinaceum in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As data on the safety profile of Panax ginseng and Hericium erinaceum is lacking, the safety of these two compounds was examined in a series of toxicological studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  MUNOPHIL, the water extract mixture of Panax ginseng and Hericium erinaceum was tested in an oral subchronic 28-day toxicity study in rats at doses of 1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg/day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In repeated dose toxicity studies, no mortality was observed when varying doses of the extracts were administered once daily for a period of 28 days. There were no significant differences in body weight, absolute and relative organ weights between controls and treated rats of both sexes. Hematological analysis showed no differences in most parameters examined. In the biochemistry parameter analysis, no significant change occurred. Pathologically, neither gross abnormalities nor histopathological changes were observed. Therefore, MUNOPHIL appears to be safe and non-toxic in these studies and a no-observed adverse effect level in rats was established at 5000 mg/kg/day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data could provide satisfactory preclinical evidence of safety to launch clinical trials on standardized formulation of plant extracts.
authors.affiliation: East-West Cancer Center, Dunsan Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University, 1136 Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Il-Dong
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hwa-Seung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Yeon-Weol
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang-Gue
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Ha-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Chong-Kwan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000737:chemistry*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D010936:Plant Extracts