How safe is neem extract with respect to thyroid function in male mice?

Area of Science:

• Toxicology
• Endocrinology
• Phytochemistry

Background:

• Neem (Azardirachta indica) is widely used in traditional medicine.
• Potential adverse effects of neem leaf extract on endocrine functions are not well-studied.
• Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in metabolic regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the unstudied adverse effects of neem leaf extract on male mice thyroid function.
• To determine dose-dependent effects of neem extract on thyroid hormone levels.
• To assess the impact on liver function markers and oxidative stress.

Main Methods:

• Oral administration of neem leaf extract at two doses (40 mg and 100 mg/kg/day) for 20 days to male mice.
• Measurement of serum tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) levels.
• Assay of hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO), glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities.

Main Results:

• The higher dose (100 mg/kg/day) significantly decreased T3 and increased T4 levels.
• Lower dose (40 mg/kg/day) showed no significant alterations in thyroid hormone levels.
• Higher dose increased hepatic LPO and decreased G-6-Pase activity, despite increased SOD and CAT activities.

Conclusions:

• High concentrations of neem leaf extract can inhibit thyroid function, potentially by affecting T4 to T3 conversion.
• Neem extract at higher doses may induce adverse effects on thyroid function and increase oxidative stress.
• Further research is needed to establish the safety profile of concentrated neem leaf extract for medicinal use.