title: Evaluating the safety of forsythin from Forsythia suspensa leaves by acute and sub-chronic oral administration in rodent models.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To access the toxicity of forsythin from Forsythia suspensa leaves and evaluate its safety.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute toxicity was determined by oral administration of a single dose of 18100 mg/kg forsythin in NIH mice. Sub-chronic toxicity was evaluated by oral administration of several doses of forsythin for 30 days at does of 0, 540, 1620, and 6480 mg/kg in SD rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the acute toxicity study, mortality was not observed after 14 days. In addition, clinically relevant adverse effects, or variations in body weight or food consumption were not observed. Similarly, after 30 days in the sub-chronic toxicity study, no mortality or significant toxicological effects such as decreased food consumption, body weight, biochemical parameters and vital organs etc. were noticed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results revealed that the forsythin from Forsythia suspensa leaves has low or no toxicity via oral administration, and therefore is suitable for further development and applications.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, China; Guangdong Lewwin Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510990, China.
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, China; Guangdong Lewwin Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510990, China.
authors.forename: Xia-Ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, China; Guangdong Lewwin Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510990, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, China; Guangdong Lewwin Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510990, China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, China; Guangdong Lewwin Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510990, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Sen
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, China; Guangdong Lewwin Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510990, China. Electronic address: yangwei0719@163.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Rong
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Lun
keywords: Acute toxicity; Forsythin; Safety; Sub-chronic toxicity