Study on toxicity of danshensu in beagle dogs after 3-month continuous intravenous infusion

• Published in: Toxicology mechanisms and methods Vol. 19; no. 6-7; pp. 441 - 446
• Main Authors: Li, Guisheng, Gao, Yonglin, Li, Shenjun, Li, Chunmei, Zhu, Xiaoyin, Li, Min, Liu, Zhifeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 01.09.2009; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Animals; Body Weight - drug effects; Danshensu; Dogs; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - administration & dosage; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - chemistry; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - toxicity; Female; Humans; intravenous infusion; Lactates - administration & dosage; Lactates - chemistry; Lactates - toxicity; Lethal Dose 50; Male; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Molecular Structure; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Salvia miltiorrhiza; subchronic toxicity
• ISSN: 1537-6516; 1537-6524
• DOI: 10.1080/15376510903150623

Danshensu (3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) lactic acid), a natural phenolic acid, is isolated from root of Salvia miltiorrhiza, and is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of various cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, toxicity of danshensu was evaluated in male and female dogs after 3-month continuous intravenous infusion. Beagle dogs were treated with danshensu at doses of 17, 50, and  150 mg/kg/day, and observed for 90 days followed by recovery periods. Measurements included clinical observations, body weight, food consumption, temperature, electro-cardiography (EGC), hematology, blood chemistry, urinalysis, gross necropsy, organ weight, and histopathology. No significant adverse effects on these parameters were observed. The only treatment-related finding was a hard knot at injection site observed in the  150 mg/kg group after 2-3 weeks continuous administration, and returned to normal after 3-4 days withdrawal. From these results, it might be concluded that danshensu did not produce any significant cumulative toxicity at the doses administered, as reflected by the various parameters investigated.