Acute Toxicity Test of Ethanol Extract of Red Ginger Rhizome, Turmeric Rhizome, and Their Combination in <i>Swiss Webster</i> Mice

The combination of Zingiber officinale var. rubrum (ZOR, red ginger) and Curcuma longa L. (CL, turmeric) is explored for anti-myocardial infarction potential, based on their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This study aimed to determine the acute toxicity of the ZOR/CL combination, as its safety profile is unknown. Acute toxicity was assessed in female mice (n=5 per group) using the OECD guideline via the oral route. Seven groups were tested i.e. a vehicle control, two single ZOR doses (1250 and 2000 mg/kg bw), one single CL dose (5000 mg/kg bw), and four ZOR/CL combination doses (up to ZOR2500/CL2500 mg/kg bw). The extract was prepared using 96% ethanol via maceration. The parameters evaluated over 14 day’s period includes body weight, physical activity, and mortality. The animals were then sacrificed, and organ indices (heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, adrenals, fallopian tube, and ovaries) were analyzed for pathological changes. Toxicity varied significantly with the dose. The single ZOR extract at 2000 mg/kg bw caused a significant drop in body weight, physical impairment, 40% mortality within 24 hours, and organ-specific toxicity evidenced by inflammation in the liver, spleen, and fallopian tubes. Crucially, the presence of CL significantly mitigated ZOR toxicity. The ZOR/CL combination showed no adverse effects or deaths at doses up to 5000 mg/kg bw dose (ZOR2500/CL2500). The estimated LD50 of the ZOR/CL combination extract is greater than 5000 mg/kg bw. These findings suggest a high safety margin, supporting the combination's use as a safe therapeutic agent for anti-myocardial infarction applications in herbal medicine.