Authors:
Dr. Le Ngoc Hung*1,2, Dr. Tran Van Thanh3, MSc. Dai Thi Viet Lan4
1. Research and Technological Transfering Center - National Academy of Science in Vietnam
2. Science and Technology Academy - National Academy of Science in Vietnam
3. Vietnam University of Traditional Medicine
4. DAIBIO Traditional Medicine Company
The study monitored the general condition of mice after continuous drug administration during the first 4 hours and 72 hours and then continued until the end of 7 days. The results showed that mice in all groups exhibited normal activity and movement. None of the mice showed signs of motor nerve damage, neurological stimulation, or inhibition. All mice maintained smooth fur without matting or wetness.
Observation of autonomic nervous system effects indicated that the drug did not affect the autonomic nervous system in any group. Examination of the pupils showed that all mice had normal pupil responses, with no signs of constriction or dilation. None of the mice exhibited sweating or dry, red skin.
Respiratory assessment showed that all mice breathed normally, without signs of dyspnea, cyanosis, or any abnormal respiratory conditions. Regarding food and water intake, since the mice consumed a large and continuous amount of the drug on the first day, their eating and drinking habits were evaluated starting from the second day. Observations indicated that all mice in all groups ate and drank normally, with no signs of refusal or increased consumption.
Fecal observations showed that all mice had normal feces, without looseness or discoloration. Daily checks of the anal area revealed it was dry and free of fecal residue. No signs of pain, allergies, or irritation, such as nasal discharge or scratching due to itching, were observed. All mice across all groups showed no abnormal signs.
When the white mice were administered the test drug at varying doses, from the lowest dose of 5.0 g/kg body weight to the highest dose of 17.5 g/kg body weight, the mortality rate for each group was assessed and presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Assessment of mortality rates in each group after 72 hours in the acute toxicity study
No of Test |
Dose
(g/kgP) |
Drinking volume
(drug solution concentration)
|
Number of living mice/
died after 72 hours
|
Number of mice alive/
died after 7 days
|
Lot 1, n = 10 |
5,0 |
0,2 mL/10g x 3 times (0,25 g/1ml) |
10 / 0 |
10 / 0 |
Lot 2, n = 10 |
7,5 |
0,2 mL/10g x 3 times (0,30 g/1ml) |
10 / 0 |
10 / 0 |
Lot 3, n = 10 |
10,0 |
0,2 mL/10g x 3 times (0,35 g/1ml) |
10 / 0 |
10 / 0 |
Lot 4, n = 10 |
12,5 |
0,2 mL/10g x 3 times (0,40 g/1ml) |
10 / 0 |
10 / 0 |
Results of Acute Toxicity Assessment for Ageless Man No6 Capsules
Monitoring during the first 4 hours, the first 72 hours, and continuing until the end of 7 days after administering the powder of Ageless Man No6 hard capsules showed that mice tolerated doses up to 17.5 g/kg body weight without any deaths across all groups. Since no mice died even at the maximum orally testable dose (0.2 mL/10g x 3 times with a concentration of 0.50 g/mL), the LD50 of the product via oral administration in white mice could not be determined.
This indicates that white mice consuming the maximum daily dose of 17.5 g/kg body weight did not exhibit signs of toxicity, as no mice died. Therefore, LD50 could not be calculated using the Litchfield-Wilcoxon method. The results suggest that Ageless Man No6 capsules have high safety in acute toxicity trials and a wide therapeutic safety margin. The preparation includes traditional herbal ingredients widely used in folk medicine with no significant reports of toxicity, consistent with these findings.
Subchronic Toxicity Assessment Results for Ageless Man No6 Capsules
The results of the subchronic toxicity trial showed that mice in all groups consuming Ageless Man No6 capsules maintained normal eating and drinking behavior, had bright eyes, smooth fur, normal dry feces, and normal urination. Weekly weighing (Table 1) indicated that weight differences between the three test groups and the control group during the study period were not significant.
Table 2. Effect of Ageless Man No6 Capsules on Body Weight of Male and Female Mice
TN |
Weight of Female Mice (g) |
Weight of Male Mice (g) |
N0 |
N7 |
N14 |
N28 |
N0 |
N7 |
N14 |
N28 |
Chứng |
218,91 ± 10,83 |
246,92 ± 6,05 |
265,48 ± 9,82 |
275,47 ± 10,29 |
211,52 ± 9,32 |
240,21 ± 6,98 |
256,21 ± 8,53 |
268,12 ± 11,32 |
Liều 1 |
212,41 ± 10,02 |
239,91 ± 6,73 |
256,31 ± 8,54 |
261,12 ± 9,32 |
206,37 ± 10,03 |
234,01 ± 6,12 |
246,98 ± 8,21 |
259,03 ± 10,41 |
Liều 2 |
205,14 ± 9,79 |
230,84 ± 6,12 |
240,16 ± 8,78 |
249,35 ± 9,12 |
208,90 ± 10,12 |
236,18 ± 6,03 |
245,99 ± 9,86 |
257,47 ± 11,29 |
Liều 3 |
207,32 ± 10,05 |
234,76 ± 5,98 |
241,82 ± 8,29 |
244,03 ± 8,41 |
205,64 ± 9,98 |
232,34 ± 5,98 |
240,15 ± 9,78 |
252,05 ± 9,12 |
The results in Table 2 showed no significant differences in weight gain rates between the control and test groups at the start of the study (N0), after 7 days (N7), 14 days (N14), and 28 days (N28). The weight gain rates of mice were similar across control and test groups at these different time points.
Hematological indices were assessed after 28 days of consuming Ageless Man No6 capsules (Table 3). Comparisons of hematological indices (e.g., white blood cell count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count) before treatment (N0), and after 14 (N14) and 28 days (N28) revealed no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) between the control group and the groups consuming doses 1, 2, and 3.
Table 3. Effect of Ageless Man No6 Capsules on Body Weight Gain of Male and Female Mice Over Time
No of Test |
Weight gain rate of female mice at time point
follow-up vs. N0 (%)
|
Weight gain rate of male mice at time point
follow-up vs. N0 (%)
|
N7 |
N14 |
N28 |
N7 |
N14 |
N28 |
No |
12,80 |
21,27 |
25,84 |
13,56 |
21,13 |
26,76 |
Dose 1 |
12,95 |
20,67 |
22,93 |
13,39 |
19,68 |
25,52 |
Dose 2 |
12,53 |
17,07 |
21,55 |
13,06 |
17,75 |
23,25 |
Dose 3 |
13,24 |
16,64 |
17,71 |
12,98 |
16,78 |
22,57 |
Table 4. Effects of taking Ageless Man No6 capsule powder for 28 days on hematological indices of female and male mice
Index |
Female Lot |
N14, p > 0,05 |
N28, p > 0,05 |
Male Lot |
N14, p > 0,05 |
N28, p > 0,05 |
WBC (109/L) |
n=8 |
10,75 ± 1,12 |
11,78 ± 1,05 |
n=8 |
11,95 ± 1,15 |
12,62 ± 1,21 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
11,15 ± 1,03 |
10,61 ± 0,94 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
12,37 ± 1,18 |
11,49 ± 1,09 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
11,62 ± 1,21 |
10,81 ± 0,89 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
12,02 ± 1,08 |
10,86 ± 1,03 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
10,93 ± 1,19 |
10,12 ± 0,88 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
11,46 ± 1,09 |
10,35 ± 1,01 |
RBC (1012/L) |
n=8 |
7,77 ± 0,22 |
8,12 ± 0,28 |
n=8 |
8,71 ± 0,22 |
8,51 ± 0,29 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
7,85 ± 0,19 |
7,58 ± 0,31 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
8,05 ± 0,19 |
7,80 ± 0,28 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
7,61 ± 0,21 |
7,22 ± 0,35 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
7,95 ± 0,18 |
7,62 ± 0,25 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
7,83 ± 0,22 |
7,38 ± 0,29 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
8,01 ± 0,21 |
7,59 ± 0,24 |
HGB (g/dL) |
n=8 |
14,08 ± 0,24 |
14,03 ± 0,52 |
n=8 |
14,01 ± 0,32 |
14,15 ± 0,42 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
14,17 ± 0,29 |
13,88 ± 0,51 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
13,82 ± 0,31 |
13,89 ± 0,31 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
14,49 ± 0,26 |
13,92 ± 0,49 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
14,61 ± 0,29 |
13,76 ± 0,33 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
14,51 ± 0,23 |
13,93 ± 0,47 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
14,53 ± 0,28 |
13,79 ± 0,38 |
HCT (%) |
n=8 |
45,42 ± 0,97 |
45,53 ± 1,78 |
n=8 |
47,78 ± 0,84 |
47,81 ± 1,09 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
44,71 ± 1,23 |
44,79 ± 2,01 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
46,72 ± 0,82 |
46,71 ± 1,02 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
44,46 ± 0,92 |
44,31 ± 1,89 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
47,03 ± 0,86 |
46,92 ± 1,05 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
45,34 ± 0,89 |
44,59 ± 1,78 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
46,21 ± 0,79 |
46,02 ± 0,97 |
PLT (109/L) |
n=8 |
898,35 ± 71,92 |
810,51 ± 88,12 |
n=8 |
823,54 ± 92,41 |
740,31 ± 72,81 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
951,82 ± 80,29 |
800,12 ± 78,29 |
Dose 1, n=8 |
890,13 ± 101,09 |
740,31 ± 73,04 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
956,84 ± 83,23 |
787,69 ± 78,86 |
Dose 2, n=8 |
801,02 ± 86,46 |
682,04 ± 68,81 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
937,42 ± 81,32 |
772,81 ± 79,12 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
824,32 ± 88,13 |
700,03 ± 69,34 |
Note: WBC: white blood cells; RBC: red blood cells; HGB: hemoglobin; HCT: hematocrit; PLT: platelets.
Biochemical Indices Assessment
Biochemical indices after 28 days of Ageless Man No6 capsule consumption were shown in Table 4. At the time points before treatment, and 14 and 28 days post-treatment, biochemical markers such as AST and ALT activity, total protein levels, total cholesterol levels, and creatinine concentrations showed no significant differences (p>0.05) between test groups (doses 1, 2, and 3) and the control group.
Table 5. Effect of 28-Day Consumption of Ageless Man No6 Powder on Biochemical Indices of Male and Female Mice
Index |
|
Female Mice |
Male Mice |
Lot |
N14 |
N28 |
N14 |
N28 |
Protein (g/L) |
Proof |
75,42 ± 1,49 |
76,65 ± 2,16 |
74,32 ± 1,94 |
75,04 ± 2,14 |
Dose 1 |
73,32 ± 1,42 |
71,45 ± 2,11 |
73,21 ± 1,88 |
72,05 ± 1,71 |
Dose 2 |
72,81± 1,38 |
68,14 ± 1,89 |
70,62 ± 1,46 |
67,14 ± 1,54 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
70,64 ± 1,35 |
66,53 ± 1,92 |
69,24 ± 1,39 |
65,18 ± 1,85 |
Cholesterol (mmol/L) |
Proof |
1,47 ± 0,11 |
1,51 ± 0,11 |
1,59 ± 0,09 |
1,61 ± 0,12 |
Dose 1 |
1,61 ± 0,11 |
1,54 ± 0,12 |
1,58 ± 0,08 |
1,52 ± 0,11 |
Dose 2 |
1,42 ± 0,09 |
1,31 ± 0,09 |
1,44 ± 0,09 |
1,33 ± 0,09 |
Liều 3, n=7 |
1,39 ± 0,08 |
1,29 ± 0,10 |
1,39 ± 0,08 |
1,28 ± 0,10 |
AST (U/L) |
Proof |
148,25 ± 7,81 |
139,43 ± 8,21 |
148,84 ± 7,82 |
141,92 ± 6,32 |
Dose 1 |
151,14 ± 8,12 |
135,78 ± 7,22 |
141,82 ± 8,17 |
131,92 ± 4,91 |
Dose 2 |
137,64 ± 8,21 |
119,84 ± 6,97 |
136,43 ± 6,92 |
123,41 ± 5,62 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
138,92 ± 9,01 |
121,31 ± 6,82 |
125,92 ± 6,87 |
114,24 ± 4,97 |
ALT (U/L) |
Proof |
77,41 ± 5,59 |
77,92 ± 4,16 |
74,94 ± 5,11 |
76,43 ± 5,04 |
Dose 1 |
72,29 ± 5,13 |
70,84 ± 4,61 |
73,12 ± 4,61 |
71,38 ± 5,12 |
Dose 2 |
65,31 ± 4,82 |
60,13 ± 3,78 |
72,64 ± 4,54 |
62,12 ± 4,21 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
63,14 ± 4,51 |
58,12 ± 3,29 |
70,65 ± 4,38 |
60,13 ± 4,23 |
Creatinin |
Proof |
46,83 ± 1,26 |
48,01 ± 1,81 |
38,76 ± 1,81 |
39,92 ± 1,77 |
Dose 1 |
44,91 ± 1,31 |
46,32 ± 1,72 |
40,84 ± 1,78 |
42,41 ± 1,81 |
Dose 2 |
43,32 ± 1,29 |
42,83 ± 1,83 |
44,82 ± 1,74 |
46,13 ± 1,73 |
Dose 3, n=7 |
47,93 ± 1,39 |
46,87 ± 1,87 |
45,72 ± 1,79 |
46,32 ± 1,89 |
AST: Aspartate aminotransferase, ALT: Alanine aminotransferase
Figure 1: Microscopic liver structure of a female mouse (dose: 400 mg/kg body weight; after 28 days). Staining: HE x400. Observation: Normal liver.
Figure 2: Microscopic liver structure (dose: 400 mg/kg body weight; after 28 days). Staining: PAS. Observation: Normal liver.
Figure 3: Microscopic kidney structure (dose: 400 mg/kg body weight; after 28 days). Staining: HE x400. Observation: Normal kidney.
Figure 4: Microscopic kidney structure (dose: 400 mg/kg body weight; after 28 days). Staining: PAS. Observation: Normal kidney.
Histological Observations
Microscopic evaluation was performed on a female mouse after 14 and 28 days of consuming dose 3 of the product, focusing on experimental liver and kidney histopathology. Observations of liver histology for a female mouse receiving 400 mg/kg body weight of the product (Figures 1 and 2) revealed normal liver structures, including intact lobules, central veins, portal areas, and radial hepatocyte arrangement. Hepatocytes appeared within normal morphological limits, without abnormal nuclear enlargement or necrosis.
Kidney histology in the same mouse (Figures 3 and 4) showed clear renal structures, with normal glomeruli and renal tubules. There was no evidence of fibrosis or necrosis, though mild hyperemia and inflammation were observed in a few cases.
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