Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in human diet

Prakash, A. S.; Pereira, T. N.; Reilly, Paul E.B.; Seawright, A. A.

doi:10.1016/s1383-5742(99)00010-1

Cited by 276 publications

(236 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are the most important plant toxins associated with disease in humans and animals (Prakash et al, 1999). In Jamaica (Stuart and Bras, 1957), South…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Athrixia bush tea for cytotoxicity, antioxidant activity, caffeine content and presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids

McGaw

Steenkamp

Eloff

2007

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

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In South Africa, Athrixia phylicoides DC. (bush tea) is widely used as a beverage, cough remedy and purgative. The commercialization of this tea in a similar vein to rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), is being considered. Traditional infusions and decoctions, as well as water and ethanol extracts, were prepared and screened. A related species, Athrixia elata Sond. (daisy tea), was included in many of the assays as a comparison. Extracts of Athrixia phylicoides and Athrixia elata were tested for toxic effects to brine shrimp larvae and the Vero kidney cell line. In both assays, the traditional preparations and aqueous extracts had little effect, but the ethanol extracts were relatively toxic. Antioxidant activity comparable to that found in rooibos was established. No detectable levels of caffeine were present in the Athrixia extracts following analysis using TLC and I/HCl spray reagent. Neither screening using spectrophotometry nor confirmation using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses showed evidence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Athrixia phylicoides. Although a wider range of studies needs to be conducted prior to commercialization, these results support the development of bush tea as a healthy alternative to caffeine-containing beverages.Abbreviations: ABTS, 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid); DPPH, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl; GC-MS, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; I/HCl, iodine hydrochloric acid; MEM, minimal essential medium; MTT,[3][4]]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; PA, pyrrolizidine alkaloid; TEAC, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity; TLC, thin layer chromatography; Trolox, 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid Article Outline

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“…Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are the most important plant toxins associated with disease in humans and animals (Prakash et al, 1999). In Jamaica (Stuart and Bras, 1957), South…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Athrixia bush tea for cytotoxicity, antioxidant activity, caffeine content and presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids

McGaw

Steenkamp

Eloff

2007

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

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“…Thus, metabolic formation of pyrrolic ester metabolites has been considered as the primary metabolic activation for the genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of PAs. In addition, less reactive longer-lived (±)-6,7-dihydro-7-hydroxy-1-hydroxymethyl-5H-pyrrolizine (DHP) produced by hydrolysis of pyrrolic esters is a considered secondary toxic metabolite due to its antimitotic, mutagenic and carcinogenic eff ects Prakash et al, 1999).…”

Section: Metabolismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For detailed information concerning the chemical and physical properties, metabolism, hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity and other toxicities of PAs, readers are referred to books and other review articles on PAs and PA-containing plants (Cheeke, 1988;Fu et al, 2004;IARC, 1976;IPCS, 1988;Mattocks, 1986;Prakash et al, 1999;Robins, 1984;Roeder, 1995Roeder, , 2000Stegelmeier et al, 1999).…”

Section: Carcinogenicity and Hepatotoxicitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Genotoxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids

Chen

Mei

2010

J of Applied Toxicology

181

133

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“…Although induction of hepatic tumours has been associated with the pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) that are present in comfrey, and PAs are genotoxic and carcinogenic by binding to liver DNA in humans and animals (Prakash et al, 1999;Fu et al, 2004), a comprehensive study of comfrey mutagenesis has not been conducted. This inspired us to investigate the mutagenicity of comfrey in rat liver, a target tissue for its carcinogenesis, by using a transgenic rat mutational model (Dycaico et al, 1994).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mutagenicity of comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) in rat liver

Mei

Guo

et al. 2005

Br J Cancer

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Comfrey is a rat liver toxin and carcinogen that has been used as a vegetable and herbal remedy by humans. In order to evaluate the mechanisms underlying its carcinogenicity, we examined the mutagenicity of comfrey in the transgenic Big Blue rat model. Our results indicate that comfrey is mutagenic in rat liver and the types of mutations induced by comfrey suggest that its tumorigenicity results from the genotoxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the plant.

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Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in human diet

Cited by 276 publications

References 75 publications

Evaluation of Athrixia bush tea for cytotoxicity, antioxidant activity, caffeine content and presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids

Evaluation of Athrixia bush tea for cytotoxicity, antioxidant activity, caffeine content and presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids

Genotoxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids

Mutagenicity of comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) in rat liver

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