Evaluation of the neurotoxicity of strontium and glycyrrhiza glabra: first report

AIM Strontium (Sr) compounds and glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice, G glabra) both have many applications and have been the subject of numerous studies. Although the therapeutic effects of Sr and G glabra have been investigated in other tissues, there is little information available on their neurotoxicity. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this study, we conducted neurotoxicity assays on the human cortical neuronal cell line HCN-2 (CRL-10742) to determine the potential neurotoxic effects of Sr and G glabra on humans. RESULTS No significant decrease in HCN-2 cell viability was observed with longer exposure or concentrations up to 2000 µg/mL of Sr. The IC50 values of Sr for 24 and 48 hours of exposure were 2000 µg/mL, and 936.9 ± 0.09 µg/mL for 72 hours. However, we observed a significant reduction in HCN-2 cell viability with longer exposure and higher concentrations of G glabra. The IC50 values of G glabra for 24, 48, and 72 hours were 545.1 ± 0.03 µg/mL, 398.1 ± 0.03 µg/mL, and 393.3 ± 0.02 µg/mL, respectively. The results of this study suggest that Sr and G glabra are not neurotoxic. CONCLUSION Additional studies are needed to further investigate the neurotoxicity of Sr and G glabra and elucidate the pathway by which these compounds exert their therapeutic effects in pathological conditions.