Chronic toxicity study of Paspalum scrobiculatum extract in rats.

Dried ethanol extract of Paspalum scrobiculatum grain has powerful tranquillizing action in animals (1, 2). It has been successfully used as a major tranquillizer, in short-term clinical trials,in acutely agitated schizophrenic patients (3-7). These clinical trials were conducted on the basis of acute and subacute toxicity studies carried out by Bhide (8) in mice and dogs, and by Shah et al (6) in rats and mice. To assess the safety of this extract in connection with longtermclinical trials, chronic toxicity study in rats was planned. The results are reported here.