Phytochemische Untersuchungen von Heil- und Futterpflanzen der Mongolei im Hinblick auf toxische Pyrrolizidinalkaloide.
Untersuchungen an Pflanzen der traditionellen mongolischen Volksmedizin

• By food or forage plants: Especially in so-called developing countries strong intoxifications were found which occur after consuming bread which was prepared with contaminated corn (here especially contaminated with Heliotropium, Crotalaria and Senecio species). Furthermore cattle intoxification were observed which were caused by feeding animals with contaminated food or in case cattle were hold on meadows with a high level of toxic PA containing plants. Those intoxications were found in Europe, too (e.g. Senecio alpinus problem on Swizzerland alpine pastures).
  
• By medicinal plants: Especially in the last 10 years several reports about intoxications in man were published. Caused by the so-called "green wave" many people prefer phytomedication often in form of self-medicamentation. Hand in hand with this higher use of phytopharmaceuticals side-effects wer found, too. Finally, this (especially in Germany and meanwhile other European countries like Austria, Swizzerland, The Netherlands,etc.) led to a strong regulation of plants with a possible human risk on account of their content of PA ("PA-Stufenplan" in Germany).
  
• By other products: A further possible pathway for PA-intoxication is found by special food-products like milk, honey, etc. Several reports show that also those products can be contaminated by PA via an animal host (bees, cattle). Although this this pathway is of minor importance it must be mentioned and discussed in this context.

On account of the fact that a PA intoxication is connected with the amount of uptake (in Germany a daily uptake of less than 1µg of toxic PA is tolerated) and also with the concrete chemical structure of the PA (structure-toxicity relationship; macrocyclic diesters are more toxic than open-chain diesters, etc.) the knowledge of the concrete chemical structure as well as the content in the plant material is of dominant interest.
In Mongolia a lot of Senecio species exist which were not investigated untill now. Besides this several reports about severe intoxifications of cattle were given by farmers. Here especially Yaks are effected by unknown diseases which finally led to the death of many animals. The mode of intoxification and also the fact that there already exists one report about PA-Yak-intoxification in literature lead to the assumption that there could be a connection between the cattle disease and a possible uptake of PA containing plants. Furthermore some plants mentioned in the Mongolian Handbook for Medicinal Plants can be suspected to contain PA (Eritrichium, Ligularia, Senecio). Therefore a phytochemical investigation should be carried out to clear up a possible human risk.

Rhodiola species are intensively used in Asian Traditional Medicines. Medical and pharmacological texts describe the use of Rhodiola species as stimulants against fatigue, for the treatment of somatic and infectious diseases, for psychiatric and neurological problems, and in healthy individuals to relieve fatigue and to increase attention span, memory and work productivity. Many studies identified the plants as adaptogens (a non-specific increase of the resistance of an organism without disturbing normal biological parameters).
Rhodiola rosea L. (Crassulaceae), also known as “golden root”, grows primarily in dry areas at high altitudes in the arctic regions of Asia and Europe. For centuries Rh. rosea has been used in the traditional medicine of Russia, Scandinavia and some Asian countries. Since 1960 (when “golden root” was identified as Rh. rosea by a botanic expedition in the Altai mountains) more than 180 phytochemical, pharmacological and clinical studies have been published.
In the traditional medicine of Mongolia and Tibet Rhodiola quadrifida (Pall.) Fisch. et May. is used, too. Under the names “Ere-gombo” (Mongolia) and “Tsan” (Tibet) the plant is applicated for the treatment of fatigue, blood-pressure, dysentery, genital diseases of women and as a stimulator of the nervous system.
Rhodiola kirilowii (Reg.) Reg. (Crassulaceae) is used in the Chinese traditional medicine for the enhancement of the ability of anti-anoxia, it shows anticoagulative properties and decreases the level of blood sugar. Rh. kirilowii is also said to protect people efficiently against cardiopulmonary function problems when moving to high altitude (4500 m).

Bislang untersuchte Pflanzen:

Senecio nemorensis L. (Hain-Kreuzkraut):
enthält die Pyrrolizidinalkaloide 7-Senecioyl-9-sarracinoylretronecin, Retroisosenin, Doriasenin, Bulgarsenin

H.Wiedenfeld, S. Narantuya, D. Altanchimeg, E. Röder (2000) Sci. Pharm. 69, 207
full paper (pdf-file)

Senecio ambraceus Turez.:
enthält die Pyrrolizidinalkaloide Senecionin; Seneciphyllin, Otosenin

Senecio arcticus Rupr.:
enthält die Pyrrolizidinalkaloide Senecionin, Platyphyllin, Neoplatyphyllin, Acetylplatyphyllin

Nonea pulla L.:
enthält die Pyrrolizidinalkaloide Lycopsamin, O7-acetyllycopsamin, Intermedin, O7-acetylintermedin

H.Wiedenfeld, D. Altanchimeg, A. Gantur, S. Narantuya (2002) J. Nat. Tox.11, 187
full paper (pdf-file)

Ligularia sibirica Cass.:
enthält die Pyrrolizidinalkaloide Tussilagin, Isotussilagin, Neotussilagin, Isoneotussilagin

Tephroseris integrifolia L.:
enthält die Pyrrolizidinalkaloide Senkirkin, Otosenin, Hydroxysenkirkin, O7-Angeloylheliotridin

H.Wiedenfeld, S. Narantuya, M. Dumaa, A. Monhbaatar (2003) Sci. Pharm.71, 129
full paper (pdf-file)

Lappula myosotis Moench.:
enthält die Pyrrolizidinalkaloide Lycopsamin, O7-acetyllycopsamin, Intermedin, O7-acetylintermedin

H.Wiedenfeld, B. Amarsanaa, D. Altanchimeg, S. Narantuya (2005) Sci. Pharm.73, 139
full paper (pdf-file)

Rhodiola kirilowii (Reg.) Reg.:
enthält arbutin (1), rhodiocyanoside A (3), epigallogatechin gallate (2), fructopyrano-(1-4)-glucopyranose (5) and lotaustralin (4).

H.Wiedenfeld, M. Zych, W. Buchwald and M. Furmanowa (2007) Sci. Pharm.75, 29
full paper (pdf-file)

Rhodiola rosea (Reg.) Reg. and Rhodiola quadrifida (Pall.) Fisch. et May.:
enthalten Zimtalkohol (1), Chlorogensäure (2), Rhodiooctanosid (3), Rosiridin (4), Rosavin (5), Salidrosid (6) Rhodiolin (7) und 4-Methylsalidrosid-6´-ß-D-arabinopyranosid (8).

H.Wiedenfeld, M. Dumaa, M. Malinowski, M. Furmanowa and S. Narantuya (2007) Pharmazie 62, 308
full paper (pdf-file)

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Dr. Helmut Wiedenfeld