Ivermectin induced early developmental damage to the nervous system of zebrafish larvae

Ivermectin has good antiparasitic activity and is heavily used in animal husbandry. However, its extensive use puts pressure on the environment. This study focused on evaluating the safety of ivermectin on the nervous system of aquatic organisms. The effects of ivermectin on the neurological development of zebrafish larvae were mainly explored. The results showed that ivermectin was able to induce developmental abnormalities in zebrafish larvae, which were mainly manifested as head edema. Further results showed that zebrafish larvae had reduced cellular densities and decreased numbers of neuronal cells in the brain. Ivermectin also impaired neural crest development and induced apoptosis. In locomotor behavior, ivermectin induced diminished locomotion in zebrafish larvae. Finally, the results showed that ivermectin was able to induce abnormal expression of genes related to neural development in zebrafish larvae. This study hopes to draw more attention to the safety of ivermectin for aquatic organisms.