Safety of the Oral Triphala Recipe from Acute and Chronic Toxicity Tests in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Abstract

Background: The Indian Ayurvedic herbal formula Triphala (TPL) is known for its pharmacological properties for immunomodulation, anti-inflammation, antioxidant, and anti-cancer. This study aimed to investigate the acute and chronic toxicities of the Triphala recipe in a rat model. Methods: To assess the acute toxicities, 5000 mg/kg of TPL was orally administered to Sprague-Dawley rats. For chronic toxicities, different dose levels of TPL at 600, 1200, and 2400 mg/kg/day were given daily for 270 days. General health and behaviors and the body and organ weights of the rats were monitored. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were evaluated for hematology and biochemistry profiles. The evaluation of the internal organs’ appurtenance and necropsy was performed to confirm the tissue histopathology. Results: The results showed that there was no sign of acute toxicity in the TPL group with a decrease in sex organ weights. No significant differences in the rats’ behaviors, physical health, body, or organ weights were found between the controls and the rats receiving the 270/day of oral Triphala at 600, 1200, and 2400 mg/kg/day. However, some alterations in blood chemistries and hematology, including glucose, BUN, red blood cells, Hb, HCT, and MCV, were observed without abnormalities in histopathology. Conclusions: It has been demonstrated that the long-term use of TPL in rat models is safe. No toxic effects were found, suggesting possible safety for long-term use in humans.

Insights into the potential benefits of triphala polyphenols toward the promotion of resilience against stress-induced depression and cognitive impairment

“…In addition, polyphenols, the main components of triphala, are also recognized as safe natural ingredient agents. Acute and subacute oral toxicity studies of triphala on rats were conducted by some scholars, and the maximum tolerated dosage of 5000 mg/kg body weight was found to be safe, and importantly, this group conducted a clinical trial and indicated that a dose of 2500 mg/d of triphala for 28 d was considered to be safe when administered to 10 male and 10 female healthy volunteers ( Arpornchayanon et al, 2022 ). Additionally, another clinical trial evaluating triphala ethanolic extract found no adverse effects in healthy volunteers taking 1050 mg/d orally for 14 d ( Phetkate et al, 2012 ).…”

Triphala extract Reduces Anti-apoptotic Protein (Mcl-1) Expression through the Activation of Caspase 3 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

“…Previous research findings has demonstrated the chemoprotective, antineoplastic, and radioprotective properties of triphala [6]. Acute and chronic toxicity testing on healthy volunteers and animal models was used in various papers to validate the safety of Triphala [7][8][9].…”

Assessing the Acute Toxicological Effects of Annona muricata Leaf Ethanol Extract on Rats: Biochemical, Histopathological, and Metabolomics Analyses

“…Rat models were used in this study in determining the acute toxicity effect of single-dose administration of 2000 mg/kg A. muricata leaf ethanol extract. When a high dose of extract was administered, acute toxicity tests were carried out within the first 24 h to investigate any negative effects that may manifest in the Sprague Dawley rat model [ 11 ]. Physical observation, biochemical, and histopathological analysis were carried out to achieve this purpose.…”