Pyrrolizidine alkaloids: their occurrence in honey from tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea L.)

Science. 1977 Feb 4;195(4277):497-9. doi: 10.1126/science.835011.

Abstract

The hepatotoxic alkaloids known to occur in tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea L.) are also present in honey produced from the nectar of this species. These alkaloids, which inclued senecionine, seneciphylline, jacoline, jaconine, jacobine, and jacozine, are potentially carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic and may pose health hazards to the human consumer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Food Contamination*
  • Honey / adverse effects
  • Honey / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Oregon
  • Plants, Toxic*
  • Pollen / analysis
  • Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / analysis*
  • Washington

Substances

  • Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids