Chronic Toxicity Study of Kaempferia parviflora Wall ex. Extract

Abstract

K. parviflora is a medicinal plant possessing high potential for development of various health products. The objective of this chronic toxicity study was to investigate the safety of ethanolic extract of chronic Kaempferia parviflora Wall ex Bak in Wistar rats. The animals were randomly divided into five groups, twenty four rats each (12 males and
12 females). Three treatment groups were orally administered with K. parviflora extract at doses of 5, 50 and 500 mg/kg/day for six months respectively, which were equivalent to 1, 10 and 100 times of human use, while two control groups were orally given with distilled water and 1.0% tragacanth, respectively. The results showed that male rats receiving K. parviflora extract at dose of 500 mg/kg had significantly lower body weight than both control groups (p<0.05). The alterations of a few hematological parameters in the highest dose-treated groups were within the normal range. Male rats receiving the highest dose of K. parviflora extract had significantly lower triglyceride level than their two control groups (p<0.05) whereas female rats receiving the same dose had significantly higher glucose
and cholesterol levels than their control groups (p<0.05). Histopathological study of visceral organs revealed no remarkable lesions related to the toxicity of K. parviflora extract.