ABSTRACT
The white oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus Jacq: Fr Kumm) is a mushroom that contains high nutrition and secondary metabolites that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The mushroom is widely used for the prevention of various diseases such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and carcinoma. This study aimed to assess the acute toxicity of the ethanolic extract of the white oyster mushroom. The method used in this study was a new method recommended for the acute toxicity test of natural substances. Doses tested in this study ranged from 10 mg/kg body weight to a maximum dose of 5,000 mg/kg body weight. Observations of toxicity tests were conducted within the first 24 hours at each stage and the parameters observed were changes in behavior and the mortality of experimental animals. The results of the acute toxicity test showed that no experimental animal died during the range of dosing, since the smallest dose reached the maximum dose; researchers observed no other changes in animal behavior during ethanol extract administration. White oyster mushroom ethanol extract is relatively safe and does not show any acute toxicity, because it has a wide dose range.
