Toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. I - PAs-containing in animal products. II - Study in rats with Symphytum officinale (comfrey).

• Grant number: 12/21391-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: March 01, 2013
• End date: August 09, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Silvana Lima Gorniak
• Grantee: Flávia Gontijo de Lima
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In recent years, Codex Alimentarius/FAO has shown concern about the presence of food and feed of animal products contaminated with pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), as well as the use of herbal medicines, containing these substances. The APs have been linked to cases of poisoning of humans and animals as hepatotoxic agents, carcinogens and mutagens. Symphytum officinale, a plant that has seven types of APs, is widely used around the world, as a medicinal plant and herbal medicine for the treatment of inflammatory, rheumatic, gastrointestinal diseases and pulmonary congestion. However, there is a lack of specific studies on the toxic effects of long-term exposure to this plant. Thus, researches on the toxicity of S. officinale are required, both with regard to its use as a medicinal plant, as well as possible animal products contaminated with PAs, with implications both in human and animal health. This research will be conducted in three stages: the chemical study, whose objectives the detection and quantification of APs in S. officinale and animal products; the biological study will evaluate the toxicity of S. officinale in rats by sub-chronic exposure and during lactation; and finally, toxicokinetic evaluation will be performed. The main expected results will be the implementation of the methodology to detect APs in samples of plant and animal products, toxicokinetics evaluation and determination of possible toxicity of the plant that could contribute to measures to regulate the S.officinale as medicinal/herbal plant.