Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are a group of naturally occurring alkaloids based on the structure of pyrrolizidine, of which there are over 300 known examples. They are found very frequently in plants in the Boraginaceae, Compositae, Orchidaceae and Leguminosae families; less frequently in the Convolvulaceae and Poaceae, and in at least one species in the Lamiaceae.
Unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids are hepatotoxic, that is, damaging to the liver.[1] PAs also cause hepatic veno-occlusive disease and liver cancer.[2] PAs are tumorigenic.[3] Disease associated with consumption of PAs is known as pyrrolizidine alkaloidosis.
Of major concern is the health risk associated with the use of medicinal herbs that contain PAs, notably borage, comfrey and coltsfoot in the West, and some Chinese medicinal herbs. However, some herbalists claim that the risk is low due to the presence of tannins in many such herbs, and that the plant organs used are relatively low in the alkaloids.[3]
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Ecology
Many plants contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and in turn there are many insects which consume the plants and build up the alkaloids in their bodies.
Plants species containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids
- Ageratum conyzoides
- Ageratum houstonianum [4]
- Arnebia euchroma
- Borago officinalis
- Cacalia hastata
- Cacalia hupehensis
- Chromolaena odorata
- Cordia myxa
- Crassocephalum crepidioides
- Crotalaria albida
- Crotalaria assamica
- Crotalaria mucronata
- Crotalaria sesseliflora
- Crotalaria tetragona
- Cynoglossum amabile
- Cynoglossum lanceolatum
- Cynoglossum officinale
- Cynoglossum zeylanicum
- Echium plantagineum[5]
- Emilia sonchifolia
- Eupatorium cannabinum
- Eupatorium chinense
- Eupatorium fortunei
- Eupatorium japonicum
- Farfugium japonicum
- Gynura bicolor
- Gynura divaricata
- Gynura segetum
- Heliotropium amplexicaule[5]
- Heliotropium europaeum[5]
- Heliotropium indicum
- Lappula intermedia
- Ligularia cymbulifera
- Ligularia dentata
- Ligularia duiformis
- Ligularia heterophylla
- Ligularia hodgsonii
- Ligularia intermedia
- Ligularia lapathifolia
- Ligularia lidjiangensis
- Ligularia platyglossa
- Ligularia tongolensis
- Ligularia tsanchanensis
- Ligularia vellerea
- Liparis nervosa
- Lithospermum erythrorizon
- Petasites japonicus
- Senecio argunensis
- Senecio brasiliensis[6]
- Senecio chrysanthemoides
- Senecio integrifolius var. fauriri
- Senecio jacobaea[5]
- Senecio lautus[5]
- Senecio linearifolius[5]
- Senecio madagascariensis[5]
- Senecio nemorensis
- Senecio quadridentatus[5]
- Senecio scandens
- Syneilesis aconitifolia
- Symphytum officinale [7]
- Tussilago farfara[3]
Please note - list not complete.
References
- ^ "Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook: Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids". Bad Bug Book. United States Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/FoodborneIllnessFoodbornePathogensNaturalToxins/BadBugBook/ucm071047.htm. Retrieved 2009 July 11.
- ^ Schoental, R., "Toxicology and Carcinogenic Action of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids", Cancer Research No.28, pp.2237-2246, November 1968 [1]
- ^ a b c Fu, P.P., Yang, Y.C., Xia, Q., Chou, M.C., Cui, Y.Y., Lin G., "Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-tumorigenic components in Chinese herbal medicines and dietary supplements", Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2002, pp. 198-211[2]
- ^ Wiedenfeld H, Andrade-Cetto A., "Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Ageratum houstonianum Mill.", Phytochemistry, 2001 Aug, pp1269-71[3]
- ^ a b c d e f g h The MERCK Vetinary Manual, Table 5. [4]
- ^ Rizk A. M. (1990), Naturally Occurring Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA
- ^ Yeong M.L., et al.(1990), “Hepatic veno-occlusive disease associated with comfrey ingestion.” Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 5(2): p. 211-4.
External links
- Subhuti Dharmananda. "Safety issues affecting herbs: pyrrolizidine alkaloids". Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon. http://www.itmonline.org/arts/pas.htm.
- [5]
- Pyrrolizidine alkaloids at KEGG
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