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Planta Med 1992; 58(2): 124-127
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-961412
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© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Toxicity Studies on Alpinia galanga and Curcuma longa

S. Qureshi1 , A. H. Shah2 , A. M. Ageel1
  • 1Research Centre, College of Pharmacy, P.O.Box 2457, King Saud University, Riyadh-11451, Saudi Arabia
  • 2Central Laboratory for Drug and Food Analysis, M.O.H., P.O.Box 59082, Riyadh-11525, Saudi Arabia
Further Information

Publication History

1991

Publication Date:
05 January 2007 (online)

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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

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