Background: In traditional medicine, acute inflammatory disorders of the lungs are considered as hot-natured disorders caused by pathogenic blood, bile and bacteria. Deva-5 is used for treatment of hot-natured disorders in traditional medicine. Deva-5 is composed from 5 ingredients including Gentiana decumbens L., Momordica cochinchinensis L., Chiazospermum erectum, Polygonum bistorta L., and Terminalia chebula Retz.
Objective: In this study, acute and chronic toxicity and effective dose of water extract of Deva-5 was determined in white mice.
Methods: To examine acute toxicity of Deva-5, animals were divided into 4 groups and Deva-5 was given at concentrations of 4.15 g/kg, 5.41 g/kg, 6.67 g/kg and 7.94 g/kg (Karber method). For chronic toxicity study Deva-5 was administered to mice at concentration of 200 mg/kg for 28 days.
Results: Average lethal dose (LD50) of Deva-5 was found to be 6.89±0.6225 mg/kg. There were no any differences observed in movements, appetite, number of offspring, and color of skin, mucosa and hair in mice treated with Deva-5 comparing to control animals. Histopathological analysis revealed that Deva-5 did not affect normal structure of the liver, heart, lungs, kidneys and spleen of mice. These results suggest that Deva-5 is safe for mice. Also in this study, the effect of Deva-5 on cytokine levels in the lungs of rats administered with LPS was examined. Deva-5 was given orally at concentrations of 200 and 400 mg/kg to rats twice/day for 5 days. Five hours after intraperitoneal administration of LPS (5 mg/ kg) animals were sacrificed and lung tissues were removed. Levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were determined by ELISA. Deva-5 significantly reduced lung levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 of rats administered LPS.
Conclusion: Deva-5 might improve lung inflammation caused by gram-negative bacteria by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6.
