Abstract
Acute (24 h) and chronic (90 days) oral toxicity studies on the ethanolic extracts
of the rhizomes of Alpinia galanga and Curcuma longa were carried out in mice. Acute dosages were 0.5, 1.0, and 3 g/kg body weight while
the chronic dosage was 100 mg/kg/day as the extract. All external morphological, hematological,
and spermatogenic changes, in addition to body weight and vital organ weights were
recorded. During this investigation no significant mortality as compared to the controls
was observed. The weight gain in the A. galanga treated animals was significant as in the control group while the C. longa-treated animals gained no significant weight after chronic treatment. C. longa treatment induced significant changes in heart and lungs weights upon chronic treatment.
Hematological studies revealed a significant rise in the RBC level of A. galanga-treated animals and a significant fall in the WBC and RBC levels of the C. longa-treated animals as compared to the controls. The gain in weights of sexual organs
and increased sperm motility and sperm counts were observed in both groups of extract-treated
male mice, however, these changes were highly significant in the A. galanga-treated group. Both extracts failed to show any spermatotoxic effects.
Key words
Alpinia galanga
-
Curcuma longa
- acute oral toxicity - chronic oral toxicity
