QUALITY AND TOXICITY STUDY ON DEVIL\'S CLAW CAPSULES MARKETED IN SAUDIA ARABIA

Al-Harbi, Naif; Shah, Arif; Faraj, Mohamed; Aba-Alkhail, Nawal; Al-Ashban, Riyadh; Bahashwan, Saleh

doi:10.21608/zjps.2010.162477

QUALITY AND TOXICITY STUDY ON DEVIL\'S CLAW CAPSULES MARKETED IN SAUDIA ARABIA

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Pharmacy Department, College of health Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh.

² Saudi food and drug authority central lab, Riyadh.

³ Pharmacy Department, College of health Sciences, Taibah University, Medina Mọnawarah. K.S.A

10.21608/zjps.2010.162477

Abstract

Devil's Claw is used in osteoarthritis; rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, indigestion and heartburn. The tuber is mostly used as remedy for gall, liver, kidney and bladder problems; but western herbalists sell them mostly in the treatment of rheumatic pain, gout and joint problems, mainly arthrits and lumbago. Devil's Claw may also be used as a lymphatic system stimulant to help detoxify the entire body. It has a cooling energy with bitter and astringent tastes, and is considered an alterative, anti-inflammatory and analgesic herb for low back pain.
Devil's claw treatment in this study showed no alarming signs and symptoms of toxicity during the current acute, sub-acute and chronic toxicity studies both in male and female mice as well as in female rats as second animal model. The signifieant decrease in urie aeid levels (p < 0.01) in the serum of treated animals may be attributed to some Devil's claw chemical constituents. Precautions for prolonged use of Devil's claw should be taken into consideration, so that the body uric acid levels remair. within the normal range.