Subchronic oral toxicity of turmeric and ethanolic turmeric extract in female mice and rats

Subchronic oral toxicity of turmeric and ethanolic turmeric extract was studied in female Swiss mice and Wistar rats fed turmeric (0, 1 and 5%) and ethanolic turmeric extract (0, 0.05 and 0.25%) through diet for 14 and/or 90 days. The administration of a high dose of turmeric (5%) for longer duration (90 days) showed a significant reduction in body weight gain, alterations in absolute and/or relative liver weights, and hepatotoxicity i.e. focal necrosis or focal necrosis with regeneration both in mice and rats. In mice lower doses of turmeric i.e 0.2 or 1% for 14 days also showed hepatotoxicity and they were found to be more vulnerable to turmeric-induced hepatotoxicity than rats. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.