Effect of repeated Paecilomyces japonica treatment on rats

Kim, Yong-Bum; Hong, Da-Hae; Cho, Eun-Sang; Im, Wanjung; Kim, Il-Hwan; Son, Hwa-Young

doi:2014.54.1.31

Korean J Vet Res > Volume 54(1); 2014 > Article

Original Article

Korean Journal of Veterinary Research 2014;54(1):31-38.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14405/kjvr.2014.54.1.31 Published online March 25, 2014.

Effect of repeated Paecilomyces japonica treatment on rats

Yong-Bum Kim¹, Da-Hae Hong², Eun-Sang Cho², Wanjung Im¹, Il-Hwan Kim³, Hwa-Young Son²

¹Korea Institute of Toxicology
²College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University
³DAEWOONG Pharmaceutical Co.

Paecilomyces japonica의 반복투여가 랫드에 미치는 영향

김용범¹, 홍다해², 조은상², 임완중¹, 김일환³, 손화영²

¹안전성평가연구소
²충남대학교 수의과대학
³대웅제약

Abstract

Cordyceps is a fungus used as a traditional medicine in China, Japan, and Korea. Paecilomyces (P.) japonica is a new cordyceps that was recently cultivated on silkworm pupae in Korea. The present study evaluated the toxicological effects of P. japonica in rats. Forty rats were treated with oral doses of P. japonica (0, 20, 100, or 500 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. Twenty additional rats were treated with 0 or 500 mg/kg/day of P. japonica for 4 weeks and then maintained for 2 weeks without treatment. Clinical signs, body weight, food and water consumption, and organ weight as well as hematology, serum biochemistry, and histopathology data were examined. Body weight gain of the group treated with 500 mg/kg/day was significantly reduced. Microscopically, karyomegaly, single cell necrosis, and mitosis were observed in the renal tubular epithelium of all treated groups. In conclusion, P. japonica caused a reduction of body weight and renal injury in rats. The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of P. japonica was less than 20 mg/kg/day.

Key Words: body weight, karyomegaly, Paecilomyces japonica, rat, renal toxicity