Comfrey Central - A Clearinghouse for Symphytum Information

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General Information about Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids (PAs)

PAs in Comfrey

Review of Comfrey and Related Research

• in vitro (Ames test, cell culture testing...)
• in vivo (Animal Studies)
• Topical Application
• Internal Use

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Conclusions

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In Vitro Studies

Table 4: In vitro Studies
Test Model	Test Substance	Dose	Results	Ref
Ames Test, TA98 Salmonella Strain	Symphytine	?	no mutagenesis	[82]*
Ames Test, TA98 Salmonella Strain	Symphytine w/ S-9 microsome mix	?	no mutagenesis	[82]*
Ames Test, TA100 Salmonella Strain	Symphytine	?	no mutagenesis	[82]*
Ames Test, TA100 Salmonella Strain	Symphytine w/ S-9 microsome mix	?	mutagenic	[82]*
Lung Fibroblast (Chinese Hamster V79 cell line)	Symphytine	?	mutagenic	[82]*
Cyropreserved hamster embryoninc cells.	Symphytine	?	no mutagenesis	[82]*
Drosophila	Echimidine	?	mutagenic	[20]
Ames Test: TA100, TA92, TA1535, TA1537, TA98, and hisG46 Salmonella Strains	Lycopsamine +/- S-9 microsome mix	0.2 - 2mg/plate	no mutagenesis	[78]
Ames Test, TA98 Salmonella Strain	Extract: S. sp. leaf in acetone	0.2 to 1.4g/ml	toxic (or anti-mutagenic?)	[83]
Ames Test, TA98 Salmonella Strain	As above with S-9 microsome mix	0.2 to 1.4g/ml	no mutagenesis	[83]
Ames Test, TA100 Salmonella Strain	Extract: S. sp. leaf in acetone	0.2 to 1.4g/ml	no mutagenesis	[83]
Ames Test, TA100 Salmonella Strain	As above w/ S-9 microsome mix	0.2 to 1.4g/ml	no mutagenesis	[83]
Human lymphocytes	Symphytum alkaloid mix	1.4 & 14µg/ml	no mutagenesis	[84]
Human lymphocytes	Symphytum alkaloid mix	140 & 1400µg/ml	sister chromatid exchanges and chromosome aberrations	[84]
Human Chang liver cells	Symphytine/symlandine	67µg/ml	no mutagenesis to p53 gene	[64]
Human Chang liver cells	Symphytum Extract	67µg/ml	mutagenesis to p53 gene	[64]
Meristematic cells of the lateral roots of Vicia faba	Alkaloid fraction I containing lasiocarpine	See ref.	antimitotic and mutagenic	[73]
Meristematic cells of the lateral roots of Vicia faba	Alkaloid fraction II	See ref.	no mutagenesis	[73]
Meristematic cells of the lateral roots of Vicia faba	Alkaloid fraction III	See ref.	antimitotic	[73]
Meristematic cells of the lateral roots of Vicia faba	Aqueous infusion of S. officinale root	1/8 and 1/16 dilutions	antimitotic and mutagenic	[73]
*Symposium report, no dose information of statistical significance given in the report.

© 2004 Dorena Rode       Acknowledgment