Screening tools to evaluate the neurotoxic potential of botanicals: building a strategy to assess safety

A recent article from the Botanical Safety Consortium (BSC) Neurotoxicity Working Group aims to evaluate existing NAMs for neurotoxicity screening of botanicals as complex mixtures. The article provides background on three assays or models for neuroactivity screening (C. elegans, zebrafish embryos, and multi-electrode arrays) and well-studied botanicals used as case studies for neurotoxicity, including aconite and oleander.

Article Highlights:

• The complexity of botanicals can complicate the assessment of potential neurotoxic/active effects.
• This manuscript describes the assays and the selected botanicals relevant for the screening of neuroactivity/toxicity.
• The selected assays are neurons in culture, in an invertebrate (C. elegans), and in zebrafish embryos.
• This paper summarizes available data related to neuroactivity and neurotoxic potential for the 16 selected botanicals.
• These planned novel studies will expand the botanical safety toolkit and provide researchers with tools to better understand neurotoxicity, prioritize, and plan future testing as needed.

Read the full paper at the link below:

Screening tools to evaluate the neurotoxic potential of botanicals: building a strategy to assess safety. Kanungo et al., 2024. Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425255.2024.2378895