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Friday, July 24, 2009
Plants Containing Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids Can Be Medicinal
Man has discovered more than 200 substances containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and many of those alkaloid strains straddle the fence between being pharmaceutically beneficial and lethal to the human body.
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are complex molecules linked by pyrrole rings consisting of four carbon molecules and one nitrogen molecule each. Toxic amounts consumed by humans often attack the liver.
Researchers and clinical examiners already have conducted many studies on pyrrolizidine alkaloids which primarily are found in Nature’s ragwort family. More studies are underway and planned to learn more about this alkaloid group, from among more than 10,000 alkaloid varieties known to man, and new medicinal applications could be on the offing.
Medical applications for some pyrrolizidine alkaloids include:
* Comfrey … a popular alkaloid tea removed from dietary supplements by FDA due to liver toxicity
* Alkannet … treats skin diseases, internally and topically
* Bugloss … applied topically to treat injuries, ulcers
* Borage … used as blood purifier, diuretic
* Hound’s tongue … used to treat diarrhea, topically for bruises
* Gromwell … used for contraceptive purposes; treatment for gout, kidney stones
* Red tasselflower … treats influenza, cough, bronchitis
* Boneset … induces sweating to reduce fevers, lowers chloesterol
* Butterbur … reduces abdominal pain
* Golden Ragwort … high doses may induce abortion, eye drops treat cataracts
* Coltsfoot … treats lung disorders, diarrhea
* Rattlebox … dispels heal, promotes urination
The most common way humans consume pyrrolizidine alkaloids, other than medicinally, is by eating plants with high concentrations of such alkaloids in them. A common example would be cereal crops harvested along with pyrrolizidine-alkaloid producing weeds. Others sources of such contamination include consuming honey collected by bees eating ragwort-type plants, and by drinking milk or eating eggs produced by animals who’ve eaten such plants.
The good news is it takes volumes of food containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids to make people ill.
by Rocky Wilson
Author of Sharene
