Botanical Research Centers: NIEHS Interests

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Botanical Research CentersNIEHS Interests

• Elizabeth A. Maull, Ph.D.
• Program Administrator, NIEHS

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Historical

• 1998 National Toxicology Program held a
  Workshop on Herbal Medicines
• Recommendations
• More research on herbals
• A call for industry to identify and standardize
  product ingredients
• Increase consumer education

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National Toxicology Program Efforts

• Herbs and active or toxic ingredients of herbs
  nominated and selected for study by NTP
• Criteria widespread human exposure
• Assessments preformed by NTP
• Acute high dose effects
• Chronic low dose effects
• Reproductive toxicity
• Neurotoxicity
• Immunotoxicity

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National Toxicology Program Efforts (cont.)

• Of special interest to the NTP
• Potential for herb/herb or herb/drug interactions
• Responses of sensitive subpopulations
• Pregnant women
• Developing fetus
• Young
• Elderly

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NIEHS Focus for BRC Recompetition

• Centers structured around a central scientific
  theme
• Research projects that complement ongoing
  National Toxicology Program efforts

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NIEHS Focus for BRC Recompetition

• Agriculturally related issues
• Biologically related issues

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Agriculturally Related Issues

• Identification of environmental factors
  influencing the concentration of bioactive
  constituents
• Localization of bioactive ingredients within the
  plant
• Development of fingerprinting technologies
• Identify the plant source of a botanical
• Detection of adulterations of botanicals

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Biologically Related Issues

• Mechanisms of action of bioactive ingredients
• Identification of targets for botanicals
  (molecular, cellular, organ)
• Identification of interactions (antagonistic or
  synergistic) with other botanical components
• Potential botanical/botanical or botanical/drug
  interactions

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Biologically Related Issues (cont.)

• Pharmacokinetic / pharmacodynamic analyses of
  botanicals
• Study the role of botanicals as regulators of
  genetic pathways or epigenetic events
• Identify and validate biomarkers of botanical
  intake or biological effects

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Botanicals of Interest (NTP)http//ntp-server.nie
hs.nih.gov/htdocs/liason/factsheets/HerbMedFacts.p
df

• Aloe vera gel
• Black cohosh
• Bladderwrack
• Blue green algae extract
• Comfrey
• Echinacea purpurea Ephedra
• Ginkgo biloba extract

• Ginseng and ginsenosides
• Goldenseal
• Green tea extract
• Kava kava extract
• Milk thistle extract
• Pulegone
• Senna
• Thujone

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Elizabeth A. Maull, Ph.D. Program
Administrator Susceptibility and Population
Health Branch National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences T [phone] F (919)
316-4606 E maull_at_niehs.nih.gov