Differing embryotoxic effects of senecionine and senecionine-N-oxide on the chick embryo.

The embryotoxic properties of pyrrolizidine alkaloids senecionine (water insoluble) and senecionine-N-oxide (water soluble) were examined using the CHEST method (Chick Embryotoxicity Screening Test). The beginning of the embryotoxicity range for senecionine was found to be between 3-30 micrograms; senecionine-N-oxide, on the other hand, showed no effect even with 100 micrograms dose. On the basis of the theoretical calculation, it can be expected that senecionine embryotoxicity for mammals ranges between 10-100 mg/kg maternal body weight, overlapping in this way the known adult toxicity range. The rat LD50 of most alkaloids known to be significant for human health are in the range of 34-300 mg/kg.