M Mehrabani - Assistant Professor of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Kerman Neurosciences Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Science and health Services, Kerman, Iran
Mehzad Mehrabani - Physician
Sh Raftari - Researcher, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
F Nabipour - Assistant Professor of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
M.R Heidary - Professor of Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Kerman Neuroscience Research Center and Physiology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Z Mahdavi - Researcher, School of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
B Sadeghi Rad - Pharmacist

Introduction: Dried violet–blue petals of Echium amoenum Fisch. and C.A. Mey. (Boraginaceae) have long been used as a tonic, tranquillizer, diaphoretic and as a remedy for coughing, sore throat and common cold. These dried violet–blue petals are known in traditional medicine of Iran as Gol-e- Gavzaban. Because the decoction of its dry petals has hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, in the present study the hepatotoxicity of it has been evaluated. Methods: Three doses of ۴۰ mg/kg, ۴۰۰mg/kg and ۸۰۰mg/kg of the dried extract of decoct of E. amoenum (according to the consumed doses by human) were administrated by oral gavages for ۲۸ days in rats. Water as solvent was given to the control group. Each group contained five female and five male rats. In the ۲۹th day serums were collected for liver function tests (AST, ALT, total bilirubin and alkaline phosphates) and livers were isolated for histopathologic study. Results: There were no significant difference between experimental and control groups in all tests (P>۰.۰۵) and histopathologic studies of livers showed no evidence of hepatotoxicity. Conclusion: The results suggest that decoction of E. amoenum has no hepatotoxicity.

Echium Amoenum, hepatotoxicity, Rat, Decoction