Couet C E, Crews C, Hanley A B
CSL Food Science Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norfolk, United Kingdom.
Nat Toxins. 1996;4(4):163-7. doi: 10.1002/19960404nt3.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been linked to liver and lung cancers and a range of other deleterious effects. As with many natural toxicants, major problems arise in determining the effects of the different members of the class and the importance of various forms of ingestion. In this study we have investigated the levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey (Symphytum officinale), determined the levels in different parts of the plant and in herbal remedies, separated the alkaloids into two main groups--the principal parent alkaloids and the corresponding N-oxides--and, finally, carried out a simple bioassay based upon the mutagenic capability of the separated compounds in a human cell line. We conclude that the part of the plant ingested is important in terms of alkaloid challenge and that the effect of two of the major groups of alkaloids individually is different from that of alkaloids in the whole plant extract.
吡咯里西啶生物碱与肝癌、肺癌以及一系列其他有害影响有关。与许多天然毒物一样，在确定该类不同成员的影响以及各种摄入形式的重要性方面存在重大问题。在本研究中，我们调查了紫草（药用聚合草）中吡咯里西啶生物碱的含量，测定了该植物不同部位以及草药制剂中的含量，将生物碱分为两个主要组——主要母体生物碱和相应的N-氧化物——最后，基于分离出的化合物在人细胞系中的诱变能力进行了一项简单的生物测定。我们得出结论，就生物碱的摄入量而言，摄入植物的部位很重要，并且两类主要生物碱各自的作用与全植物提取物中生物碱的作用不同。
