Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are widely distributed in many plants including medicinal herbs. The hepatotoxicity of PAs has been known academically for a long time, however, their reproductive toxicity, mutagenesis and carcinogenicity have been less researched. This article is an overview of the clinical and experimental reports of the reproductive toxicity, mutagenesis and carcinogenicity of PAs, the effective factors and generating mechanism of the toxicity.
Animals ; Biomedical Research ; Humans ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; toxicity ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ; analysis ; toxicity

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids(PAs) are a group of naturally occurring alkaloids with a pyrrolizidine skeleton which can be found in about 3% of the world's flowering plants. It is notorious that PAs are cause the hepatoxic and genotoxic-carcinogenic effects by taking PA-containing herbs, food and dietary supplements. In order to control the poisoning caused by PAs, European Medicines Agency has set a limit of intake of PAs from herbal medicinal products at 0.007 μg of 1,2-unsaturated PAs/kg body weight. Nonetheless, a systematic overview of the amount of PAs in the herb has not been provided. Therefore, this paper is to systematically review the current status of PAs content analysis of herbal medicines and foods reported in the literature, and to provide theoretical and experimental support for the safety risk assessment and control of PAs in Chinese herbal medicines.
Food ; Herbal Medicine ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids/toxicity*

The tubers and roots of Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) are widely used as heart medicine or analgesic agents for the treatment of coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis and neuropathic pain since ancient times. As a type of natural products mainly extracted from Aconitum plants, Aconitum alkaloids have complex chemical structures and exert remarkable biological activity, which are mainly responsible for significant effects of Aconitum plants. The present review is to summarize the progress of the pharmacological, toxicological, and pharmacokinetic studies of Aconitum alkaloids, so as to provide evidence for better clinical application. Research data concerning pharmacological, toxicological and pharmacokinetic studies of Aconitum alkaloids were collected from different scientific databases (PubMed, CNKI, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, and Web of Science) using the phrase Aconitum alkaloids, as well as generic synonyms. Aconitum alkaloids are both bioactive compounds and toxic ingredients in Aconitum plants. They produce a wide range of pharmacological activities, including protecting the cardiovascular system, nervous system, and immune system and anti-cancer effects. Notably, Aconitum alkaloids also exert strong cardiac toxicity, neurotoxicity and liver toxicity, which are supported by clinical studies. Finally, pharmacokinetic studies indicated that cytochrome P450 proteins (CYPs) and efflux transporters (ETs) are closely related to the low bioavailability of Aconitum alkaloids and play an important role in their metabolism and detoxification in vivo.
Aconitum/chemistry* ; Alkaloids/toxicity* ; Biological Availability ; Phytochemicals/toxicity* ; Plant Roots/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE: The transformations that occur in diterpenoid alkaloids during the process of sand frying for Chinese herbal medicine preparation have yet to be clarified. This study investigated the structural changes that take place in 3-acetylaconitine during a simulation of heat-processing and evaluated the toxicity and biological activity of the pyrolysis products. METHODS: The diterpenoid alkaloid 3-acetylaconitine was heated at 180 °C for 15 min to simulate the process of sand frying. The pyrolysis products were separated using column chromatography, and their structures were investigated using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Further, in vivo cardiotoxicity and acute toxicity of 3-acetylaconitine and its pyrolysis products were compared, and the aconitine-induced arrhythmia model was employed to evaluate the antiarrhythmic effect of the pyrolysis products. RESULTS: Two new diterpenoid alkaloids, pyroacetylaconitine and 16-epi-pyroacetylaconitine, a pair of epimers at C-16, were isolated. After comparing the structures of these compounds, possible transformation pathways were proposed. Compared with the prototype compound, 3-acetylaconitine, the cardiotoxicity and acute toxicity of the heat-transformed products were significantly decreased. In the biological activity assay, the two pyrolysis products exhibited an effective increase in ventricular premature beat latency, a reduction in the occurrence of ventricular tachycardia, as well as an increase in the rate of arrhythmia inhibition, implying strong antiarrhythmic activity. CONCLUSION Compared with 3-acetylaconitine, its pyrolysis products displayed lower toxicity and good antiarrhythmic effects; thus, they have potential for being developed into antiarrhythmic medicines. Please cite this article as: Wang YJ, Wang Y, Tao P. Structural characterization, in vivo toxicity and biological activity of two new pyro-type diterpenoid alkaloids derived from 3-acetylaconitine. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(3): 302-314.
Humans ; Aconitine/chemistry* ; Cardiotoxicity ; Sand ; Alkaloids/toxicity* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac/drug therapy* ; Diterpenes/toxicity*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the acute toxicity and assess the median lethal dose (LD50) of matrine in Kunming mice.

METHODSMatrine at different doses were administered in Kunming mice via intraperitoneal injection, and the toxic reactions and LD50 of matrine was observed and determined.

RESULTSThe acute toxicity test of matrine indicated that the tolerable dose of matrine was above 80 mg/kg in Kunming mice, and the LD50 was 157.13 mg/kg (95%CI, 88.08-280.31 mg/kg). Morphological observation revealed degenerative changes of the nerve cells in the brain tissue of the mice.

CONCLUSIONThe nervous system is the main target organ by the toxicity of matrine.

Alkaloids ; toxicity ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; pathology ; Female ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Male ; Mice ; Quinolizines ; toxicity ; Toxicity Tests, Acute

OBJECTIVETo investigate the fetotoxicity of retrorsine.

METHODMouse whole embryo culture (WEC) was applied. Post-implantation (8.5 d) mouse embryos were isolated from their mothers and put into the medium of immediately centrifuged serum (ICS) prepared from rats. Different concentrations of retrorsine (12.5, 25, 50, 100 mg x L(-1)) were added into the WEC culture. Development (yolk sac diameter, crown-rump length, head length, somite number) and organic morphodifferentiation (yolk sac circulation, allantois, embryonic flexion, heart, brain, optic-otic-olfactory organ, branchial arch, maxillary, mandible, bud) of embryos were observed at 48 h after treatment.

RESULTObvious fetotoxicity could be observed in various retrorsine treatment groups in a dose-dependent manner. Development of embryos was delayed significantly at dose 12.5-100 mg x L(-1). Malformations were shown in all organic morphodifferentiation indexes, especially in otic-olfactory organ, branchial arch, maxillary, mandible, bud.

CONCLUSIONRetrorsine had obvious fetotoxicity in vitro WEC culture, indicating that exposure of pregnant mice to retrorsine may have potential risk on fetals.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Embryo, Mammalian ; drug effects ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ; toxicity ; Rats ; Toxicity Tests ; methods

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the embryotoxicity of alkaloids in Senecionis Scandentis Hebra on in vitro cultured mouse embryos. Mouse whole embryo culture (WEC) was applied in this study. Post-implantation (8.5 d) mouse embryos were isolated from their mothers, and cultured in medium of immediately centrifuged serum (ICS) with different concentrations of seneciphylline (target concentrations were 100, 50, 25 and 12.5 μg x mL(-1)) or senkirkine (target concentrations were 50, 25 and 12.5 μg x mL(-1)) for 48 h. After culturing completed, the development and organic morphodifferentiation of the cultured embryos were evaluated microscopically. Treatment with seneciphylline and senkirkine had adverse effects on the development and organic morphodifferentiation of embryos. The effect also had clear dose-response. Alkaloidals in Senecionis Scandentis Hebra had embryotoxicity on cultured embryos, which indicated that pregnant people exposed to Senecionis Scandentis Hebra may get potential risk on fetus.
Animals ; Embryo Culture Techniques ; Embryo, Mammalian ; drug effects ; Female ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ; toxicity ; Senecio ; chemistry ; Teratogens ; toxicity

This article summarized the toxic components, toxication faeature and mechanism and clinical poisoning reports of Senecio spp. The distribution of major toxic components pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in Chinese medicinal herbs and the application of Senecio spp. in China were also recapitulated. The proposals for the application and development of Senecio spp. were put forward.
Animals ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; Humans ; Plant Poisoning ; etiology ; veterinary ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; poisoning ; toxicity ; Plants, Toxic ; chemistry ; poisoning ; toxicity ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; poisoning ; toxicity ; Senecio ; chemistry ; classification ; poisoning ; toxicity

Tussilago farfara contained the chemical constitutents including terpenes, flavonoids, and alkanoids. It has been used for the relief of coughs and as an expectorant, blood pressure raiser, platelet activating factor inhibitor and anti-inflammatory agents. This paper reviewed the phytochemical and pharmacological research progress in T. farfara, including the chemical ingredients, the pharmaceutical activities and the security evaluation aiming at its toxicity. The problems at present and the reseach direction for the future on T. farfara have been put forward.
Alkaloids ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Animals ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; methods ; trends ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Terpenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Tussilago ; chemistry

Plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids were widely used in traditional medicine. Its hepatotoxicity is main toxicity as well known internationally. In order to providing some foundation for the future studies, the advancement on the pharmacologic actions, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics or toxicokinetics of pyrrolizidine alkaloids was reviewed.
Animals ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Humans ; Liver ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; toxicity