Abstract
MANY of the natural pyrrolizidine alkaloids isolated from various plants are not only acutely hepatotoxic, but are also able to produce subacute and chronic liver lesions in rats when given in an appropriate single dose. The most striking feature of the lesions are the cytological abnormalities of the liver parenchymal cells, suggesting that the alkaloids may be interphase mitotic poisons1. The hepatotoxic activity of these alkaloids, especially in relation to their basic moieties, has been discussed2. Though their structures vary greatly, yet one feature is common to all, namely, the branching of the carbon-chain of their acidic moieties, the necic acids.
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References
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SCHOENTAL, R., MATTOCKS, A. Hepatotoxic Activity of Semi-Synthetic Analogues of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids. Nature 185, 842–843 (1960). https://doi.org/10.1038/185842a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/185842a0
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