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Volume 31
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Review

Preclinical Risk Assessment of Plant Lectins with Pharmacological Applications: A Narrative Review

by
Amanda de Oliveira Marinho
1,
Maria Nívea Bezerra da Silva
1,
Suéllen Pedrosa da Silva
1,
Isabella Coimbra Vila Nova
1,
Jainaldo Alves da Costa
1,
Patrícia Maria Guedes Paiva
1,
Lidiane Pereira de Albuquerque
2,
Emmanuel Viana Pontual
3,
Leydianne Leite de Siqueira Patriota
1 and
Thiago Henrique Napoleão
1,*
1
Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50670-901 Recife, Brazil
2
Departamento de Bioquímica e Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Piauí, 64001-020 Teresina, Brazil
3
Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, 52171-900 Recife, Brazil
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2026, 31(1), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31010055 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 24 October 2025 / Revised: 15 December 2025 / Accepted: 18 December 2025 / Published: 23 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Bioactives for Health: Therapeutic Promise and Safety Considerations)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Plants have been used for medicinal purposes both intuitively and based on traditional knowledge for centuries. Recently, however, there has been a significant increase in research focused on medicinal plants to meet the growing demands of the pharmaceutical industry. As a result, it has become essential to evaluate the safety of natural products for human use. This review examines in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies of lectins, a class of plant proteins with pharmacological applications. The reviewed data indicate that many of these proteins do not appear to be toxic to human and animal cells, nor when administered to rodents through oral, intraperitoneal, or intravenous routes. However, some lectins have shown toxicity under certain conditions, such as depending on the administration route, dose, and treatment duration. These adverse effects may include behavioral changes, antinutritional effects, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, pancreatic hypertrophy, allergic reactions, and even death. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize toxicological studies to ensure the safety of these plant proteins as potential drug candidates in the future.
Keywords: safety assessment; lectin; cytotoxicity safety assessment; lectin; cytotoxicity

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Marinho, A.d.O.; da Silva, M.N.B.; da Silva, S.P.; Nova, I.C.V.; Costa, J.A.d.; Paiva, P.M.G.; de Albuquerque, L.P.; Pontual, E.V.; Patriota, L.L.d.S.; Napoleão, T.H. Preclinical Risk Assessment of Plant Lectins with Pharmacological Applications: A Narrative Review. Molecules 2026, 31, 55. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31010055

AMA Style

Marinho AdO, da Silva MNB, da Silva SP, Nova ICV, Costa JAd, Paiva PMG, de Albuquerque LP, Pontual EV, Patriota LLdS, Napoleão TH. Preclinical Risk Assessment of Plant Lectins with Pharmacological Applications: A Narrative Review. Molecules. 2026; 31(1):55. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31010055

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marinho, Amanda de Oliveira, Maria Nívea Bezerra da Silva, Suéllen Pedrosa da Silva, Isabella Coimbra Vila Nova, Jainaldo Alves da Costa, Patrícia Maria Guedes Paiva, Lidiane Pereira de Albuquerque, Emmanuel Viana Pontual, Leydianne Leite de Siqueira Patriota, and Thiago Henrique Napoleão. 2026. "Preclinical Risk Assessment of Plant Lectins with Pharmacological Applications: A Narrative Review" Molecules 31, no. 1: 55. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31010055

APA Style

Marinho, A. d. O., da Silva, M. N. B., da Silva, S. P., Nova, I. C. V., Costa, J. A. d., Paiva, P. M. G., de Albuquerque, L. P., Pontual, E. V., Patriota, L. L. d. S., & Napoleão, T. H. (2026). Preclinical Risk Assessment of Plant Lectins with Pharmacological Applications: A Narrative Review. Molecules, 31(1), 55. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31010055

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