Toxicity Evaluation of Sappan Wood Extract in Rats
Seeewaboon Sireeratawong PhD*, Pritsana Piyabhan PhD**, Tippaya Singhalak MS***, Yuvadee Wongkrajang MS****, Rungravi Temsiririrkkul MS*****, Jakkapun Punsrirat BSc******, Nongluck Ruangwises PhD*******, Sumarn Saraya PhD********, Nusiri Lerdvuthisopon PhD*********, Kanjana Jaijoy MS**********
Affiliation : * Division of Pharmacology, Department of Preclinical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rungsit Campus, Pathumthani, Thailand ** Division of Physiology, Department of Preclinical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rungsit Campus, Pathumthani, Thailand *** Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Chiang Mai, Thailand **** Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ***** Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ****** Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ******* Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ******** Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ********* Division of Biochemistry, Department of Preclinical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Rungsit Campus, Pathumthani, Thailand ********** Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Background : The heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan L. or sappan wood has long been used in folk medicines to treat
tuberculosis, diarrhea, dysentery, skin infections and anemia.
Objective : To study the acute and subacute toxicities of sappan wood extract in rats.
Material and Method: For studying acute toxicity, a single oral dose of 5,000 mg/kg of sappan wood was administered to
rats. Subacute toxicity was studied by the daily oral administration of the extract at the doses of 250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg body
weight for consecutive 30 days.
Results : The extract of sappan wood (5,000 mg/kg) showed no toxicity in terms of general behavior change, mortality, or
change in gross appearance of internal organs. Subacute toxicity study showed no abnormalities in treatment groups as
compared to the controls. Body and organ weights, hematological, blood chemical, necropsy, and histopathological parameter
of all groups were similar.
Conclusion : Sappan wood extract did not produce any acute or subacute toxicity in both female and male rats.
Keywords : Sappan wood extract, Acute toxicity, Subacute toxicity
