Abstract: BACKGROUND ＆ AIM: R. chingii Hu is a newly identified herbal source in Hubei Province, although it has been used to prevent and help treat hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia for hundreds of years by local people. Rubusoside is thought to be its special ingredient. In order to develop and utilize this new resource,toxicology tests of this new herb were conducted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The safety of Hubei R. chingii Hu was evaluated systematically by a series of acute, mutagenic and sub_chronic toxicological tests. RESULTS: The acute toxicity test showed that the maximum tolerated oral dose of R. chingii Hu was more than 20.0 g/kg body weight in mice. No mutagenicity was found, as judged by mouse bone marrow cell micronucleus test，Ames test and mouse sperm abnormality test. In the subchronic study, no deaths or clinical signs, or abnormal hematological, biochemical and histopathological changes were found in rats after gavaging 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 g/(kg·d) of Hubei R. chingii Hu for 90 days. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that Hubei R. chingii Hu may be safely used as a source of health food.

Key words: R. chingii Hu, rubusoside, toxicological evaluation