ORAL ACUTE TOXICITY TEST OF RED BETEL LEAF (Piper crocatum) AS PERIODONTAL POCKET THERAPY (As Seen From Mortality Rate, Weight Changing, And Relative Organ Index Of Swiss Webster Mice)

Abstract

Red betel leaf (Piper crocatum) contains useful chemical compounds like alkaloid, saponin, tannin, and flavonoid which have an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial characteristics. Previous research shows red betel leaf has a better bactericidal profile than the green ones. The red betel leaf extract is already proven to disturbing the growth of periodontal causative bacteria in an earlier study. Any ingredient or chemical contents on food and drug shall run a toxicity test before permitted to use generally. This study’s purpose is to investigate the acute toxicity effect of red betel leaf extract as a periodontal pocket therapy ingredient. The acute toxicity experimental is conducted on Swiss webster mice which divided into six groups consisting of 4 males and four females each. The dose given to the subject is a single dose by the oral route as amount as the twice maximal tolerated dose that is 10000, 5000, 2500, 1250, and 625 mg/kg BW. The weight of mice is measured every day from day-1 until day-14 after that (on day-15) the mice are cut to counting relative organ index. The collected data is analyzed using The One-way ANOVA test and continues with the posthoc Tucay test. This study result shows that red betel leaf extract with doses 10000, 5000, 2500, 1250, and 625 mg/kg BW given acutely doesn’t generate a significant change in weight and relative organ index of the test’s subject. Based on this result, it can be concluded that red betel leaf extract is not toxic.