Induction of hepatic tumors in rats by senkirkine and symphytine.
The carcinogenicity of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids senkirkine and symphytine was studied in male inbred ACI rats. Animals were divided into 3 groups: Group I received ip injections of freshly prepared senkirkine at a dose of 10% of the median lethal dose (LD50) twice weekly for 4 weeks and then once a week for 52 weeks. Group II received ip injections of symphytine at a dose of 10% of the LD50 by the same injection schedule as in group I. The control group was given ip injections of a 0.9% NaCl solution following the same injection schedule as in experimental groups. All group I rats survived for more than 290 days after the start of injections, and 9 of 20 rats developed liver cell adenoma. All group II animals survived for more than 330 days after the start of injections. Of 20 rats, 4 had liver tumors, 3 had hemangioendothelial sarcomas, and 1 had liver cell adenoma. The hemangioendothelial sarcomas showed metastasis in the lungs of 2 rats. The control group had no liver tumors.
D000818:Animals; D006390:Hemangioendothelioma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D011912:Rats, Inbred ACI; D013997:Time Factors
D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; C020639:symphytine; C009238:senkirkine