Abstract: Objective To discuss the effect of total Bupleurum Saponin extracts on mice's acute toxicity. Methods Make the study on mice's acute toxicity of the total Bupleurum Saponin extracts in accordance with classical acute toxicity test methods. Results Caculated by dried medicinal herbs, the LD50 of the total Bupleurum Saponin extracts is 94.974g·kg^-1·d^-1, which is equal to 422.8 times of 70kg people's daily dried medicinal herb expenses,and the 95% confidence interval is 88.742～103.76g·kg^-1·d^-1, which is equal to 414.1～484.2 times of 70kg people's daily dried medicinal herb expenses;caculated by total saikosaponin, the LD50 is5 231.5 mg·kg^-1·d^-1, and the 95% confidence interval is4 886.1～5 721.2 mg·kg^-1·d^-1. The main acute toxicity symptoms of dead mice are negligent action,then arising from unsteady gait, abdominal lying sleeping, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, continuous convulsions, neurological inhibition, and eventually to death. The surviving mice's weight gainings are slow in 14d observation period and there are no other obvious abnormalities. Conclusion The Bupleurum herb hasa certain toxicity, which is consistent with the clinical report. The total saikosaponin is not only the mainly effective chemical components but also its mainly toxical material basis. Its toxical sites and the "dose-time-poison" relationships of accumulated toxicity relations are all to be further studied.

Key words: total Bupleurum Saponin extracts, mice, acute toxicity