Abstract

Herbal medicine (HM) has been utilized extensively for a wide range of illnesses for thousands of years and has significantly contributed to the health of human beings. The harmful health consequences or degree of toxicity of herbal medication are not demonstrated according to the testing, manufacturing, and labeling standards of the Food and Drug Administration. The aim of the study was to investigate the hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity of herbal medicine - Amlasia: a well‑known Hamdard herbal formulation. Swiss albino mice were used in this study, where Amlasia solution was administered orally for 14 consecutive days. For comparison, a single toxic dose of paracetamol and a standard dose of the allopathic drug Maxpro were employed to induce hepato-renal effects. The results indicated that Amlasia had no significant influence on final body weight, organ weight, or organ index ratios in the treated mice. Biochemical evaluation showed that liver enzymes, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and triglycerides, were notably reduced (p > 0.05), whereas alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin levels showed a slight but non-significant increase compared with the saline control group. Albumin (ALB) levels increased, while blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and urea levels were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) relative to controls. No notable changes were observed in total protein or creatinine levels. Assessment of oxidative stress markers revealed that malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation indicator, showed a non-significant increase in the liver but remained unchanged in the kidney. In contrast, levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) were elevated in both tissues. Histopathological examination, based on semi-quantitative assessment, demonstrated normal cellular architecture in both liver and kidney tissues. However, the mentioned parameters indicate conclusive findings, but molecular biology validation is required to confirm the pharmacological safety of the studied herbal medicine.

Key words: Biochemical parameter, Herbal medicine, Hepatotoxicity, Nephrotoxicity