Fwd: [wiseweeds] Pyrrolizadine alkaloidsand info

[Guest guest]

My Note: Remember the post on bitter-tasting herbs and how some of them are

poisonous because of the alkaloids they contain?

 

One class of alkaloids - the pyrrolizadine alkaloids - are especially dangerous.

They can cause liver damage and death.

 

The most well-known of the pyrrolizadine alkaloid herbs is comfrey.

 

Victoria

 

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--------- Forwarded Message ---------

 

DATE: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 10:29:16

Catherine Novak <cnovak

" EdibleWild " <EdibleWild >, " wiseweeds "

<wiseweeds >, Andre and Melana <kanawa

 

Catherine Novak <cnovak

 

Here's a little bit of info on PAs.

 

 

FDA site on pyrrolizadine alkaloids

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap42.html

 

An exerpt:

 

There have been relatively few reports of human poisonings in the United

States.

Worldwide, however, a number of cases have been documented. Most of the

intoxications in the USA involved the consumption of herbal preparations

either as a tea

or as a medicine. The first patient diagnosed in the USA was a female

who had used a

medicinal tea for 6 months while in Ecuador. She developed typical

hepatic

veno-occlusive disease, with voluminous ascites, centrilobular

congestion of the liver, and

increased portal vein pressure. Interestingly, the patient completely

recovered within one

year after ceasing to consume the tea.

 

Cornell University site on PAs

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxicagents/alkaloids/pyrrolizidine.html

 

An exerpt:

Most alkaloids are amino acid derivatives, and have no certain role in

plant metabolism except for serving to repel insects and herbivore

predators due to their bitter taste. Pyrrilozidine alkaloids are very

common in plants used in livestock feeds and in

rangeland weeds such as tansy ragwort, Senecio jacobea, and Heliotropium

spp. and Crotolaria spp.. Pyrrolozidine alkaloids contain nitrogen in a

heterocyclic ring forming a definite structure called the pyrrolizidine

nucleus. It appears that the pyrrilozine

alkaloids themselves are not toxic, rather, some of their metabolites,

primarily their " pyrrolic " derivatives are highly toxic.

 

MAFF UK - Surveillance for pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey

http://www.maff.gov.uk/food/infsheet/1995/no52/52honey.htm

 

PPRLUSDA/ARS Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory

http://www.pprl.usu.edu/pa.htm

 

Cathy, Wise Weeds

http://www.freeyellow.com/members6/wiseweeds/

 

 

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The information in this post should not replace advice given by your medical

practitioner.

 

 

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