Acute oral toxicity of saponin on the food intake, body weight and food utilization rate in rats^a.

Sex	Saponin dose (g per kg per body weight)	Food intake (g)	Body weight (g)	Food utilization rate (%)
Male	0	444.00 ± 6.07	138.00 ± 10.66	31.06 ± 1.84
	1	420.00 ± 7.32**	106.00 ± 14.78*	25.35 ± 2.88*
	2.15	410.00 ± 6.98**	95.00 ± 9.66**	23.14 ± 2.05**
	4.64	428.00 ± 7.57**	108.00 ± 17.78*	25.28 ± 4.39*
	10	375.00 ± 9.29**	97.00 ± 13.57**	25.68 ± 2.80*
Female	0	262.00 ± 4.56	67.00 ± 9.27	25.54 ± 3.09
	1	247.00 ± 5.01*	51.00 ± 3.81*	20.63 ± 1.12*
	2.15	233.00 ± 7.68**	44.00 ± 6.53**	18.84 ± 2.18**
	4.64	242.00 ± 8.52*	46.00 ± 0.57**	19.02 ± 0.43**
	10	226.00 ± 13.10**	44.00 ± 10.58**	19.33 ± 3.57*

^aAll data are means ± standard deviation (n = 5 in each group, **Significant difference at P < 0.01 level when compared with the control group, *Significant difference at P < 0.05 level when compared with the control group).