The effect of age-related changes on the toxicity of a dry extract of aerial part of chicory herb (Cichorium intybus L.)

Relevance. Modern medicine widely uses herbal medicines in the treatment of various diseases, and the search for new medicines from plants continues to be relevant. Herbal drugs can be used for a long time in medical practice without significant side effects, however, at each stage of ontogenesis the human and animal body has a number of features affecting the metabolic processes of drugs. In this regard, there is a need for preclinical studies of drugs on animals of different ages. One of promising plants for the creation of new drugs is chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), which has a rich composition of biologically active substances, from which herb in All-Russian institute of medicinal and aromatic plants obtained dry extract. The aim to study the sensitivity of laboratory animals of different ages to a dry extract of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) during a single injection. Methods. The study was conducted in accordance with the requirements of "Guidelines for conducting preclinical studies of drugs" on mature and immature laboratory animals of both sexes: Wistar rats aged 12 months and 3-week-old rats; BALB/c mice aged 12 months. A suspension of chicory extract was injected to animals once parenterally (intraperitoneally), then the signs of acute intoxication were recorded and the half-lethal dose (LD50) was determined using the Litchfield and Wilcoxon probit-analysis. Results. The study showed that the LD50 at a single intraperitoneal injection of the dry extract of aerial part of chicory to 12-month old mice and rats was decreased in comparison with analogous parameters in mature animals at the age of 3 months - 1,5 times on the average. For mice, these values were 2240 to 2129 mg/kg; for rats, 1443 to 2174 mg/kg. The sensitivity of immature (3-week-old) rats to the test extract was 20,6% lower than in mature animals, and the LD50 was determined to be 3280 mg/kg. Conclusion. Age-related changes in the sensitivity of laboratory animals to the dry extract of aerial part of chicory alter its toxicity parameters in different ways. Aging animals were more sensitive to the toxic effects of the extract under investigation, younger animals were less sensitive. The results obtained should be taken into consideration while developing new medicines based on these plant raw materials and their dosage forms as well as while drawing up instructions for medical use.