Sub-acute Toxicity Study of Ethanolic Extract of Pacing (costus Speciosus) in Male Mice

Objective: The aim of this research was to evaluate the safety of Costus speciosus extract (CSE) after a 90-day administration in male mice. Methods: Sub-acute toxicity test was performed using the OECD 408 method. CSE at 275-1100 mg/kg/day was administered to male mice for 90 d. The appearance of toxic symptoms was observed every day, followed by measurement of food and drink intakes. Change in body weight, the result of a routine blood check and blood biochemistry were observed and statistical analysis was performed on them. Test animals were killed at the end of the study and the weights of vital organs were examined before organ histology was examined. Results: The research result showed that the administration of CSE at 275-1100 mg/kg/day for 90 d did not show any significant disturbance in all parameters, except for reductions of cholesterol and blood glucose levels of test animals (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results obtained in this research indicated the safety of CSE as a candidate of standardized herbal medicine for male contraception.