This study examined the subacute oral toxicity of Dendropanax morbiferus H.Lév leaves hot-water extracts (DMWE) using male and female Spargue-Dawley rats. Rats were orally administered the DMWE at dose levels of 0, 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/kg body weight (BW) for four weeks. For experimental period, clinical signs and the number of deaths were examined, and feed intake and BW of all experimental animals were measured once a week for four weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected from all rats, and all animals were euthanized and autopsies were performed to collect major organs. No dead animals were found during the experimental period. In addition, no differences were found between control and DMWE-treated groups in feed intakes, BW changes, organ weights, clinical signs, hematological parameters, and serum biochemical parameters. The results of this study provided evidence that oral administration of DMWE at the dose of 2,000 mg/kg BW is safe in rats and may not exert severe toxic effects.

In this study, the acute toxicity of Dendropanax morbiferus H.Lév leaf hot-water extracts (DMWE) was examined in male and female ICR mice. Mice were orally administered the DMWE at dose levels of 0, 250, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 mg/kg body weight (BW) for single-dose toxicity test. There were no significant differences in change of BW between control and all DMWE treated-groups. In hematological and blood biochemical analysis, none of the parameters were affected by the DMWE. Similarly, there were no significant effects on markers for liver and kidney functions in all DMWE treated-groups. Since there were no adverse effects of the DMWE in single oral toxicity tests, even at the highest doses, it was concluded that the lethal dose 50 (LD50) of DMWE is estimated at > 2,000 mg/kg BW.

The present study is designed to investigate the antibacterial effect of the hot-water and various ethanol extracts from the leaves of Dendropanax morbifera L. (DML) against Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalsis). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 30, 50 and 70% ethanol extract of DML against P. gingivalis decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. However, MIC and MBC of hot-water and 30% ethanol extract against P. gingivalis were the same as 3.13 and 6.25 mg/mL, respectively. In the bacterial growth inhibition test, the growth of P. gingivalis in the group treated with MBC and 2×MBC of DML hot-water extract was statistically significantly decreased from 6 h after incubation compared to the control group (p<0.001). From the results portrayed above, aqueous extract from DML at the concentration of 6.25 mg/mL can be usefully used to suppress infection of P. gingivalis, a major causative agent of periodontal disease.