Drug Designing: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

In-vitro Cytotoxicity Assessment of ZingiVir-H Tablets, a Novel HerboMineral Antiviral Drug along with Purified Mercuric Sulphide and Arsenic Trisulphide used for its Preparation, and its Corresponding Empirical Data to Reinforce the Evaluation

Shan Sasidharan* and Hareendran Nair J

ZingiVir-H, a herbo-mineral Ayurvedic medicine targets for managing Viral fevers, Bronchitis and Acute Respiratory tract infections. It is formulated using five potent herbs and two purified heavy metals (Mercuric sulphide-HgS and Arsenic trisulphide-As₂S₃). The toxicity associated with metallic constituents was removed by subjecting to various detoxifying processes as described in the century-old classical literatures of Ayurveda. However, the objection raised against metal-derived drugs of Ayurveda is the lack of empirical evidence for its claimed non-toxicity after the detoxification process. Considering the widespread misconception, we have projected this study to assess the cellular toxicity of ZingiVir-H, and its two-heavy metal ingredients (raw and at various stages of detoxification steps) in the L6 rat myoblast cell line based on MTT assay and ROS production. In MTT assay a substantial reduction was reflected in the cellular toxicity for purified HgS and As₂S₃ when compared to their raw forms. Moreover, ZingiVir-H has also recorded non-toxicity especially in low concentrations. Alternatively, purified HgS and As₂S₃ at 20 μg/mL also recorded a significant reduction in ROS production when compared to that of raw HgS and As₂S₃. Finally, ZingiVir-H and the drug without its metal constituents recorded only 4.5 ± 0.33% and 1.1 ± 0.23% of ROS. These results established that the detoxification of HgS and As₂S₃ leads to a significant reduction of toxicity as well as the ROS production. Further, the quantitative analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) evidently revealed that the percentage of arsenic, mercury and sulphur was significantly reduced after the detoxification/purification of HgS and As₂S₃. In light of our evaluation, we hope this research paper will attract a wide attention to confirm the toxicity threshold of herbomineral drugs and purified heavy metals as per Ayurvedic principles through cytotoxicity assessment.

Published Date: 2021-09-13; Received Date: 2021-08-23