ACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF Cirsium wallichii DC. AND Galium rotundifolium L. COLLECTED FROM THE HIGHLANDS OF KUMAUN HIMALAYAS (INDIA)

Authors

  • Ankit Kumar Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sir J.C. Bose Technical Campus, Bhimtal - 263 136, Uttarakhand (India)
  • Mahendra Rana Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sir J.C. Bose Technical Campus, Bhimtal - 263 136, Uttarakhand (India)
  • Satpal Singh Bisht Vice Chancellor, Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora – 263 601, Uttarakhand (India)
  • Rashi Miglani Department of Forensic Science, D.S.B. Campus Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand - 263 002 (India)
  • Chandrakanta Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sir J.C. Bose Technical Campus, Bhimtal - 263 136, Uttarakhand (India)
  • Nagma Parveen Department of Forensic Science, D.S.B. Campus Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand - 263 002 (India)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48165/abr.2025.27.01.7

Keywords:

Acute toxicity, Cirsium wallichii, Galium rotundifolium, Hepatoprotective, Jaundice

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the acute toxicity profile of Galium rotundifolium and Cirsium wallichii used @ 2000 mg kg-1 body weight. These plants, traditionally used in Uttarakhand (India) for liver health, were evaluated for immediate cytotoxic effects in Wistar rats. The randomized controlled trial included five female rats each in control and treatment groups, receiving the doses of 5, 50, 300, and 2000 mg kg-1 over a 15-day period. No visible signs of poisoning or fatalities were observed nor any haematological and biochemical parameter did show any signs of toxicity, thereby supporting the safety of these plant extracts. The oral administration of aqueous extracts from G. rotundifolium and C. wallichii appeared safe and well-tolerated in a single-dose study. However, further research is necessary to assess the potential long-term effects on organs. The extracts may possess hepato-protective, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anticancer properties, making them promising candidates for therapeutic applications.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ali, S., Zafar, M., Ahmad, M., Sultana, S., Khan, A., Majeed, S., et al., 2023. Palynotaxonomic

approach through light and scanning electron microscopy for the identification of herbaceous

78 Ankit Kumar et al.

Asteraceae species from Sikaram Mountain Pak‐Afghan border. Microscopy Research and

Technique, 86(10): 1274-1297.

Ameer, K., Ali, M., Muleta, C.O., Yasothkumar, N., Balakrishnan, S., Geethanjali, K., et al., 2025.

Ziziphus hamur Engl., a rare medicinal plant modulates cytokine and hematological levels during

sub-acute toxicity studies in Wistar rats. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and

Research, 59(1s): s229-s242.

Amoateng, E.O., Amoateng, P., Ossei, P.P.S., Fenteng, E.A., Amponsah, I.K., Ayibor, W.G., et al.,

2024. An acute and sub-acute toxicological assessment of Reissantia indica plant extract in male

Sprague-Dawley rats: Hematological, serum biochemical and histopathology. Scientific African,

23: e02089. [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227624000334].

Benrahou, K., Mrabti, H.N., Assaggaf, H.M., Mortada, S., Salhi, N., Rouas, L., et al., 2022. Acute

and subacute toxicity studies of Erodium guttatum extracts by oral administration in rodents.

Toxins, 14(11): 735. [https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins14110735].

Bhatt,D.,Kumar,R., Joshi, G. and Tewari, L. 2013. Indigenous uses of medicinal plants by the Vanraji

tribes of Kumaun Himalaya, India. Journal of Medicinal Plant Research, 7(37): 2747-2754.

Boruah, B., Kumar, A. and Das, A. 2020. Cirsium wallichii DC. (Asteraceae): A key nectar source

of butterflies. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 12(14): 17049-17056.

Friščić, M., Štibrić-Baglama, M., Milović, M., Hazler-Pilepić, K. and Maleš, Ž. 2018. Content of

bioactive constituents and antioxidant potential of Galium L. species. Croatica Chemica Acta,

91(3): 411-417.

Gemeda, H.B., Debella, A., Endale, M., Abebe, A., Mathewos, M., Habtu, W., et al., 2025. Acute and

sub-acute toxicity of ethanol extracts of Hagenia abyssinica and Rumex abyssinicus flowers in

Swiss albino mice. PLOS ONE, 20(2): e0319464. [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?Id=

10.1371/journal.pone.0319464].

Hinton, P.R., McMurray, I. and Brownlow, C. 2014. SPSS Explained. Routledge, London, UK.

[https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315797298].

Kharchoufa, L., Bouhrim, M., Bencheikh, N., El Assri, S., Amirou, A., Yamani, A., et al., 2020. Acute

and subacute toxicity studies of the aqueous extract from Haloxylon scoparium Pomel

(Hammada scoparia (Pomel)) by oral administration in rodents. BioMed Research International,

2020(1): [4020647.10.1155/2020/4020647].

Kozyra, M., Biernasiuk, A., Gryta, E., Kozyra, P. and Malm, A. 2024. Phytochemical profiling and

biological activity of the methanolic extracts of Cirsium monspessulanum (L.) Hill. Chemistry &

Biodiversity, 21(8): [e202400944.10.1002/cbdv.202400944].

Kpemissi, M., Metowogo, K., Melila, M., Veerapur, V.P., Negru, M., Taulescu, M., et al., 2020. Acute

and subchronic oral toxicity assessments of Combretum micranthum (Combretaceae) in Wistar

rats. Toxicology Reports, 7: 162-168.

Kumar, A., Kumar, B., Kumar, R., Kumar, A., Singh, M., Tiwari, V., et al., 2022. Acute and subacute

toxicity study of ethanolic extract of Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand flower in Swiss albino

mice. Phytomedicine Plus, 2(2): [100224.http://dx.doi.org/10.32859/era.20.16.1-35].

Loha, M., Mulu, A., Abay, S.M., Ergete, W. and Geleta, B. 2019. Acute and subacute toxicity of

methanol extract of Syzygiumguineense leaves on the histology of the liver and kidney and

biochemical compositions of blood in rats. Evidence‐Based Complementary and Alternative

Medicine, 2019(1): [5702159. 10.1155/2019/5702159].

Malik, M.K., Bhatt, P., Singh, J., Kaushik, R.D., Sharma, G. and Kumar, V. 2022. Preclinical safety

assessment of chemically cross-linked modified mandua starch: Acute and sub-acute oral toxicity

studies in Swiss albino mice. ACS Omega, 7(40): 35506-35514.

Mbugi, N.O., Chacha, M., and Mbega, E. 2025. Sub-acute toxicity effects of the methanolic extract

from Searsia longipes on the hematological, biochemical, and histopathological parameters of

Wilstar albino rats. Natural Product Communications, 20(2): [1934578X251325019.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1934578X251325019].

Acute toxicity of Cirsium wallichii and Galium rotundifolium 79

Mir, A.Y., Yaqoob, U., Hassan, M., Bashir, F., Zanit, S.B., Haq, S.M., et al., 2021.

Ethnopharmacology and phenology of high-altitude medicinal plants in Kashmir, Northern

Himalaya. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 22: 1-15.

Nerlekar, N., Patil, P., Khot, S., Kulkarni, A., Dandge, P., Berde, A., et al., 2024. Cold maceration

extraction of wild fruit Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb.: exploring its bioactives for

biomedical applications. Preparative Biochemistry & Biotechnology, 54(7): 982-1000.

Obakiro, S.B., Kiprop, A., Kigondu, E., K’owino, I., Kiyimba, K., Drago Kato, C., et al., 2021. Sub-

acute toxicity effects of methanolic stem bark extract of Entada abyssinica on biochemical,

haematological, and histopathological parameters in Wistar albino rats. Frontiers in

Pharmacology, 12: [740305.10.3389/fphar.2021.740305].

Pirintsos, S., Panagiotopoulos, A., Bariotakis, M., Daskalakis, V., Lionis, C., Sourvinos, G., et al.,

2022. From traditional ethnopharmacology to modern natural drug discovery: A methodology

discussion and specific examples. Molecules, 27(13): 4060. [10.3390/molecules27134060].

Ridgway, P. 2002.Revised fixed dose procedure: OECDtest guideline 420.RapportiIstisan, 41: 27-31.

[https://publ.iss.it/ITA/Items/GetPDF?uuid=a46408e5-13c8-4d3b-8bc4-b8af90b69560#page= 33].

Singh, H., Husain, T., Agnihotri, P., Pande, P.C. and Khatoon, S. 2014. An ethnobotanical study of

medicinal plants used in sacred groves of Kumaon Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India. Journal of

Ethnopharmacology, 154(1): 98-108.

Süntar, I. 2020. Importance of ethnopharmacological studies in drug discovery: Role of medicinal

plants. Phytochemistry Reviews, 19(5): 1199-1209.

Thakur, S., Kumar, V., Das, R., Sharma, V. and Mehta, D.K. 2024. Biomarkers of hepatic toxicity:

An overview. Current Therapeutic Research, Clinical and Experimental, 100: 100737. [doi:

10.1016/j.curtheres.2024.100737].

Tiwari, D., Sah, A.N., Bawari, S. and Bussmann, R.W. 2020. Ethnobotanical investigations on plants

used in folk medicine by native people of Kumaun Himalayan region of India. Ethnobotany

Research and Applications, 20: 1-35.

Wang, Y., Njateng, G. S. S., Zhao, T., Yang, M., Wang, Y., Cao, J., et al., 2021. Evaluation of acute

and subacute toxicity of two different extracts from Que Zui tea in rats. Efood, 2(2): 81-91.

Wu, Z., Ma, Y., Zhao, L., Cai, S. and Cheng, G. 2018. Acute and subchronic toxicities of the ethanol

and hot-water extracts from Chinese sumac (Rhus chinensis Mill.) fruits by oral administration

in rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 119: 14-23.

Yang, L.E., Meng, Y., Peng, D.L., Nie, Z.L. and Sun, H. 2018. Molecular phylogeny of Galium L. of

the tribe Rubieae (Rubiaceae) - Emphasis on Chinese species and recognition of a new genus

Pseudogalium. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 126: 221-232.

Yang, M., Wu, Z., Wang, Y., Kai, G., Njateng, G.S.S., Cai, S. et al., 2019. Acute and subacute toxicity

evaluation of ethanol extract from aerial parts of Epigynum auritum in mice. Food and Chemical

Toxicology, 131: [110534.10.1016/j.fct.2019.05.042].

Yasin, G., Ahmad, M. and Hussain, M. 2020. Pharmacological potential of plants from Himalayan

region of Pakistan-assay for antioxidant indices. Pharmacophore, 11(3): 82-88.

Downloads

Published

2025-04-20

How to Cite

ACUTE TOXICITY STUDIES OF Cirsium wallichii DC. AND Galium rotundifolium L. COLLECTED FROM THE HIGHLANDS OF KUMAUN HIMALAYAS (INDIA). (2025). Applied Biological Research, 27(1), 71–79. https://doi.org/10.48165/abr.2025.27.01.7