Fungi such as Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp., which are commonly found in the environment, pose a serious global health problem. This study aims to present the results of epidemiological studies, including clinical cases, on the relationship between human exposure to some mycotoxins, especially zearalenone and aflatoxin, and the occurrence of reproductive disorders. In addition, examples of methods to reduce human exposure to mycotoxins are presented. In March 2023, various databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE and Web of Science) were systematically searched using Google Chrome to identify studies evaluating the association between exposure to mycotoxins and the occurrence of complications related to impaired fertility or cancer incidence. The analysed data indicate that exposure to the evaluated mycotoxins is widespread and correlates strongly with precocious puberty, reduced fertility and increased cancer incidence in women and men worldwide. There is evidence to suggest that exposure to the Aspergillus mycotoxin aflatoxin (AF) during pregnancy can impair intrauterine foetal growth, promote neonatal jaundice and cause perinatal death and preterm birth. In contrast, exposure to the Fusarium mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEA) leads to precocious sexual development, infertility, the development of malformations and the development of breast cancer. Unfortunately, the development of methods (biological, chemical or physical) to completely eliminate exposure to mycotoxins has limited practical application. The threat to human health from mycotoxins is real and further research is needed to improve our knowledge and specific public health interventions.

In previous papers, we have reported on the high antifungal and significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria of the water-soluble silver(I) complexes of metronidazole and derivatives of pyridine compared to silver nitrate. In the present study, the cytotoxic activity of the silver(I) complexes of metronidazole and 4-hydroxymethylpyridine was compared with that of silver nitrate. Metronidazole and 4-hydroxymethylpyridine were investigated using Balb/c 3T3 and HepG2 cell lines in order to evaluate the potential clinical application of silver(I) complexes. The cells were exposed for 72 h to compounds at eight concentrations. The cytotoxic concentrations (IC₅₀) of the study compounds were assessed within four biochemical endpoints: mitochondrial activity, lysosomal activity, cellular membrane integrity, and total protein content. The investigated silver(I) complexes displayed comparable cytotoxicity to that of silver nitrate used in clinics. Mean cytotoxic concentrations calculated for investigated silver(I) complexes from concentration–response curves ranged from 2.13 to 26.5 µM. HepG2 cells were less sensitive to the tested complexes compared to fibroblasts (Balb/c 3T3). However, the most affected endpoint for HepG2 cells was cellular membrane damage. The cytotoxicity of both silver complexes was comparable for Balb/c 3T3 cells. The cytotoxic potential of the new silver(I) compounds compared to that of silver nitrate used in medicine indicates that they are safe and could be used in clinical practice. The presented results are yet more stimulating to further studies that evaluate the therapeutic use of silver complexes.

Silver salts and azole derivatives are well known for their antimicrobial properties. Recent evidence has demonstrated also their cytotoxic and genotoxic potential toward both normal and cancer cells. Still, little is known about the action of complexes of azoles with silver(I) salts. Thus, the goal of the study was to compare the chemical, cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties of metronidazole complexes with silver(I) nitrate and silver(I) sulfate to metronidazole and pure silver(I) salts. We synthetized a novel complex, [Ag(MTZ)₂]₂SO₄, and confirmed its chemical structure and properties using ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and X-Ray, IR and elemental analysis. To establish the stability of complexes [Ag(MTZ)₂NO₃] and [Ag(MTZ)₂]₂SO₄, they were exposed to daylight and UV-A rays and were visually assessed. Their cytotoxicity toward human cancer cells (HepG2, Caco-2) and mice normal fibroblasts (Balb/c 3T3 clone A31) was determined by MTT, NRU, TPC and LDH assays. The micro-dilution broth method was used to evaluate their antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. A biofilm eradication study was also performed using the crystal violet method and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The photo-stability of the complexes was higher than silver(I) salts. In human cancer cells, [Ag(MTZ)₂]₂SO₄ was more cytotoxic than Ag₂SO₄ and, in turn, AgNO₃ was more cytotoxic than [Ag(MTZ)₂NO₃]. For Balb/c 3T3 cells, Ag₂SO₄ was more cytotoxic than [Ag(MTZ)₂]₂SO₄, while the cytotoxicity of AgNO₃ and [Ag(MTZ)₂NO₃] was similar. Metronidazole in the tested concentration range was non-cytotoxic for both normal and cancer cells. The complexes showed increased bioactivity against aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria when compared to metronidazole. For the majority of the tested bacterial strains, the silver(I) salts and complexes showed a higher antibacterial activity than MTZ; however, some bacterial strains presented the reverse effect. Our results showed that silver(I) complexes present higher photo-stability, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity in comparison to MTZ and, to a certain extent, to silver(I) salts.

Food contamination with mycotoxin-producing fungi increases the risk of many diseases, including neurological diseases closely related to the neurotoxicity of these toxins. Based on the latest literature data, we presented the association of common Fusarium mycotoxins with neurological diseases. Articles from 2001 to 2024 were analyzed. The mechanisms underlying the neurotoxicity of the described mycotoxins were presented. They are mainly related to the increase in oxidative stress in neuronal cells, which leads to higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines as IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, enzymatic activity as GST, GPx, CAT and SOD and neurotransmitter dysfunction (5-HT, serotonin, dopamine and GABA). At the end of the article, based on the literature data, we attempted to present ways to mitigate mycotoxin neurotoxicity using mainly natural substances of plant origin. The data in this review focus on the Fusarium mycotoxins most frequently found in food and will be useful as comparative information for future studies. It is important to conduct further studies to mitigate the neurotoxic effects of Fusarium mycotoxins in order to reduce the development of diseases of the nervous system.