Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease Due to Pyrrolizidine (Senecio) Poisoning in Arizona

Herbal hepatotoxicity

“…Later, a series of pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisonings occurred in India [30] and Afghanistan [31], where 'Gondli' cereal contaminated with Heliotropium alkaloids was responsible for numerous cases of venoocclusive disease (VOD), the typical liver injury evoked by pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Incidents of liver damage from pyrrolizidine alkaloid intoxication were noticed in Arizona, such as in two infants exposed to herbal tea containing Senecio longilobus [32,33]. Similar cases were also reported from Europe and elsewhere [34,35].…”

Herbal Teas and Toxins: Novel Aspects of Pyrrolizidine Poisoning in the United States

“…Once case involved a 6-month-old Mexican-American female, admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of a typical hepatitis [14]. An astute gastroenterologist, Dr. Alfred Stillman, was puzzled by the clinical presentation.…”

Determination of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in tea, herbal drugs and honey

“…Cases of intoxication by contaminated cereals, herbal teas and salads have been reported (Mohabbat et al 1976;Stillman et al 1977;Huxtable 1980;Kakar et al 2010;Wiedenfeld & Edgar 2011). Based on the results of several studies, honey was estimated to be one of the main sources of PA exposure for consumers (Deinzer et al 1977;Culvenor et al 1981;Boppré et al 2005;Kempf et al 2008Kempf et al , 2011Dübecke et al 2011).…”