Safety evaluation of oral Anethum graveolens L total hydroalcoholic extract in mice

Abstract

Anethum graveolens L. (dill) is used widely in Asian food and folk medicine but its safety profile for further clinical studies has remained unclear. After administration of total hydroalcoholic extract to mice in acute, subacute and subchronic treatment periods, toxic responses were recoreded by clinical, biochemical, hematological and pathological examinations. Doses up to 2000 mg/kg in acute study did not cause any mortality and doses up to 1000 mg/kg didn't cause any toxic effect in subacute study. Following to daily administration of doses of 1000 mg/kg/day as Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) and doses of 50 (1/20 MTD), 500 (1/2MTD) and 1000 mg/kg (MTD) in 45 days regimen, signif cant falls in white cell counts was reported after 3 weeks (P-value < 0.05) in high (P-value = 0.042) and intermediate dose (P-value = 0.018) groups of male animals. Dill extract caused significant reduction of FBS in high dose female animal group (P-value = 0.021). Portal mononuclear lymphoid and PMN leucocytes infiltration in three adjacent foci were seen in intermediate and high dose groups of both sexes which was clearly a dose dependent effect. Doses less than 50 mg/kg could be consi ered as safe dose in both genders of mice with the good potential for further antihypoglycemic or antihyperlipidemic clinical studies