Phytochemical Profiling & Teratogenic Safety Evaluation
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Abstract
Medicinal plants have been used as therapeutics for centuries and remain an essential source of bioactive phytochemicals in modern healthcare. Their increasing use during pregnancy has raised concerns about potential effects on fetal development, since a herbal origin does not guarantee safety. This chapter examines phytochemical profiling using analytical strategies including high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to support botanical authentication, standardization of extracts, quality control and detection of toxic constituents. Teratogenic safety assessment is addressed through complementary in vitro, in vivo and computational methods, including developmental and reproductive toxicity studies, embryo-fetal development assays and maternal-fetal analyses, alongside advances in omics technologies, molecular biomarkers, artificial intelligence, machine learning and predictive toxicology. A thorough understanding of these concepts is necessary to develop standardized, scientifically validated and safe herbal medicines for use throughout pregnancy.
Author Affiliations
- 1 Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University, Dehradun, India.