[Subchronic toxicity of Viscum cruciatum Sieber]

The subchronic toxicity of an aqueous extract of Viscum cruciatum Sieber, a parasite of Prunus amygdalus Stokes, was studied in Wistar rats. The extract at dosage-levels of 30, 120 and 480 mg/kg body weight/day was administered in the drinking water during 12 weeks; checks being carried out after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. No apparent symptoms of toxicity were observed, except for a slight apathy and reduced mobility in the batch receiving the highest dose. A slight leukopenia and a moderate increase in glycemia, uremia and plasma GPT activity was observed. No modifications occurred in the other constants studied. Histopathological analysis of the spleen, lung, kidney and liver were found to occur at the highest dosage-level, while in the other organs slight lesions of a reversible nature were observed. A certain degree of recovery was observed in the case the spleen at the end of the experiment. In all, it can be said that no manifest signs of toxicity were found in animals receiving the intermediate and higher dosages, though these were not found to be related to sex. Taken together all these observations indicate that the aqueous extract of Viscum cruciatum Sieber has a low toxicity within the conditions of our experiment.