TERATOGENIC EFFECT OF HERBAL DRUGS -A REVIEW

Abstract

Aim: 1937-Sulfanilamide tragedy, 1961-Thalidomide tragedy shows the necessity for studying teratology and teratogenicity. Widespread use and positive attitude towards herbal drugs in pregnancy needs documentation about both efficacy and safety of herbal drugs. It may prevent any future tragedy by intake of herbal drugs during pregnancy. Backgrounds: Teratogens are chemical/physical agents that can results in malformation, growth restriction, functional disorder and even death of fetus. Teratogen can cause permanent alteration in the structure and/or function of an organ during the Embryonic or fetal life. Herbal drugs are not teratogen. But improper administration during pregnancy may cause teratogenicity. Review of Results: The name of plants showing teratogenic effects in experimental animals are named below, i.e. Asperagus racemosus root methanolic extract (Satavari), Lawsonia inermis hydroalcoholic extract (Madayantika), Gloriosa superba Linn hydroalcoholic Tuber Extract (Langali), Datura metel ethanolic leaves extract (Dhatura), Plumbago zeylanica (Chitrak), Pippalyadi gutika , Vishamusti vati & Suddha Tankana. Conclusion: There are plenty of modern chemical medicines which have teratogenic effect on the fetus. But there are no such herbal drugs which have teratogenic effect in prescribed dose. Herbal drugs in optimum dose, duration and adjuvant generally do not cause teratogenic effect but in excess dose with improper mode of administration for a longer duration than therapeutically advised may cause teratogenic effect. Clinical significance: Scientific validation of safety of their use in pregnancy is very less documented. Hence it is the need of the hour to explore and document the safety of herbal drugs in human species.