title: Evaluation of safety profile of black shilajit after 91 days repeated administration in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety of shilajit by 91 days repeated administration in different dose levels in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study the albino rats were divided into four groups. Group I received vehicle and group II, III and IV received 500, 2 500 and 5 000 mg/kg of shilajit, respectively. Finally animals were sacrificed and subjected to histopathology and iron was estimated by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy and graphite furnace.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The result showed that there were no significant changes in iron level of treated groups when compared with control except liver (5 000 mg/kg) and histological slides of all organs revealed normal except negligible changes in liver and intestine with the highest dose of shilajit. The weight of all organs was normal when compared with control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The result suggests that black shilajit, an Ayurvedic formulation, is safe for long term use as a dietary supplement for a number of disorders like iron deficiency anaemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sri Krishna Chaithanya College of Pharmacy, Nimnapalli Road, Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Velmurugan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vivek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bharathi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sundaram
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012116:Resins, Plant / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D012116:Resins, Plant; C045109:mumie
keywords: Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy; Graphite furnace; Histopathology; Shilajit