Sub-acute toxicity of standardized aqueous extract of Siddha herb Karisalankanni - Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk

Background: Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk. is a medicinal plant used in the management of various diseases in India, China, and Southeast Asia. Karisalankanni (Siddha) is a rejuvenative herb for overall health; it is used in treating ailments like anaemia, jaundice, and hair loss. Despite its widespread use as a folk medicine, there is very little safety information about the extract obtained from this plant. This study aims to investigate the sub-acute toxicity of E. alba daily oral administration of the aqueous extract in animal models. Materials and Methods: A crude aqueous extract was obtained from the whole plant and its toxicity was evaluated using Wistar albino rats with parameters such as hematological, biochemical, histopathological, organ weight, and body weight to determine the toxic effects, if any. Results: The analyzed hematological parameters of males and females were comparable to the control groups during the experimental period; however, no significant differences were observed in the parameters. The clinical biochemistry of the treated male and female groups was observed to be comparable to the vehicle control and comparable to the satellite high dose to satellite control. No significant differences were observed in biochemical parameters except for mild significant differences in some parameters such as creatinine and serum glutamate oxidase transferase. However, histopathological analysis showed mild morphological changes in the liver and kidneys used at the highest dose. There were no significant variations in organ weights; meanwhile, body weights in the treatment groups showed a time-dependent increase, which was similar to the control group. Conclusion: This study presents the sub-acute toxicity profile of an E. alba extract for the first time. This information is crucial as it addresses a key knowledge gap and opens up avenues for exploring the plant’s potential as a source of various therapeutic agents.