An Observation on Long-term Toxicity of Hongyexintong Soft Capsules to Rats

Objective:To study the long-term toxicity of Hongyexintong soft capsules to rats.Methods: One hundred and sixty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups (40 in each group), and orally given the medicine with doses of 50, 25, or 12.5 g/kg of crude drug, or with bean oil of 0.5%CMC-Na (for control group) daily for 26 weeks.The physical status (body weight,growth rate and appetite), hematological parameters, blood biochemistry, blood cotting, organ index, and tissue pathological changes of rats were checked in the 13th week,and 26th week of the administration and in four weeks after the stop of the administration. Results: All of the parameters tested did not differ from those of control group, except that blood level of total bilirubin (TBIL) of female rats in high dose group in the 13th week, blood creatinine level, blood TBIL level, and prothrombin time of male rats in high dose group in the 26th week were significantly higher than those of control group (P0.05), and that blood Cl-level of male rats in high dose group in the 26th week was lower than that of control group (P0.05). All the differences disappeared in 4 weeks after the drug withdrawal. No tissue pathological change was found. Conclusion: Hongyexintong soft capsules are safe in its clinical use with the recommended dosages.