Acute And Subacute Toxicity Studies Of Picroside-Ii From Picrorhiza Kurroa Rhizhome Extracts In Wistar Rats

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the acute and sub-acute oral toxicity profile of Picroside II (PK-II), a major bioactive constituent of Picrorhiza kurroa, in Wistar rats. Acute & sub-acute oral toxicity was conducted according to OECD guideline. Rats were orally administered PK-II at doses of 5, 50, 300, and 2000 mg/kg for the acute study and 1000 mg/kg daily for 28 consecutive days in the sub-acute study. Animals were monitored for clinical signs, mortality, body weight changes, hematological and biochemical parameters, and histopathological alterations. No mortality or clinical signs of toxicity were observed in any group. Hematological and biochemical profiles showed no significant deviations from controls. Histopathological evaluation revealed no treatment-related abnormalities in vital organs. The oral LD₅₀ of PK-II was estimated to be greater than 2000 mg/kg, indicating a wide margin of safety. The findings confirm that PK-II is non-toxic under the tested conditions, supporting its potential use as a safe therapeutic candidate.