Tayyeb Ghasemi - Basic Electrophysiology Research Centre, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mansoor Keshavarz - Basic Electrophysiology Research Centre, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohsen Parviz - Basic Electrophysiology Research Centre, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AND Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background Based on vast usage of teucrium polium (TP) in alternative medicine of developing countries for treatment of ailments in children and adults, this study is designed to examine acute hydro alcoholic extract of TP effects in different doses on rat liver and kidney functions and tissue structures. Materials and Methods Animals were given daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of TP at 3, 10, 30, 100, and 200 mg/kg or equal volume of normal saline for a week. One-hour postprandial blood glucose at day 1 and day 7, liver enzymes, serum creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and hepatorenal tissues were examined at the end of the study. Animal body weights were also measured on a daily basis. Results TP at 3, 10, 30 and 100 mg/kg body weight didnot affect functional and structural characteristics in rat liver and kidney tissues compared with control animals.  However, at high 200 mg/kg dose, it provoked liver and kidney tissue damages together with significant rise in aspartate aminotransferase (p<0.001), alanine aminotransferase (p=0.001), Cr (p=0.001), and BUN (p=0.001). Animal body weight in each group under TP pretreatment protocol unchanged during the study except at high 200 mg/kg which showed a significant weight loss (p<0.001). Conclusion TP detrimental health effects especially on liver and kidney tissues are frequently overemphasized, but in adose-dependent manner. However, we also believe TP has potential medical benefits and can find a way to the medical arena if thorough conducted researches can determine its toxic components and isolate appropriate derivatives for ensuing use.

Iranian Traditional Medicine, liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, Teucrium polium