Evaluation of the Single-Dose Toxicity of TA Pharmacopuncture in Rats

OBJECTIVES: TA is a polyherbal extract comprising seven herbs, typically used for the pharmacopuncture treatment of patients with traffic accident-related injuries and musculoskeletal diseases. This animal study was conducted to evaluate the safety of the TA extract, using a single-dose toxicity test. METHODS: The dose range and sampling time were first established. Six-week-old Sprague–Dawley rats were administered 1.0 mL of TA or normal saline (control), intramuscularly, for the single-dose toxicity test. The general condition, mortality, and histology of all rats were observed for 2 weeks. RESULTS: No abnormal symptoms or deaths were observed in any group. The body weights of the rats in the TA and control groups were similar. No significant differences in histopathology were observed between the groups. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that 1.0 mL of TA extract may be safely administered for pharmacopuncture for treatment of patients in traditional medicine clinics.