title: Some toxic properties of a carcinogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloid, petasitenine.
abstract: Some toxic properties of petasitenine, a hepatocarcinogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloid, were confirmed in 3 parts of studies. Electron microscopic observation of rat liver on the stage of acute toxicity following administration of a toxic dose of petasitenine disclosed the distinctive changes i.e., nucleolar segregation, degradation of endoplasmic reticulum such as formation of concentric whorls in the liver cells. Biochemical test for the mitochondrial function in the isolated mitochondria from rat liver cells revealed on inhibitory effects of petasitenine in the respiratory system, indicating that minor changes of mitochondria on the pyrrolizidine alkaloid may be induced by some other indirect factor. Investigation for the effect of petasitenine on the cell cycle of the cultured cell line from the human carcinoma showed some inhibitory effects in the appearance of cells in S-phase or M-phase, suggesting a possibility that toxicity of petasitenine will be developed in the tissues other than the liver or in the species apart from rodents.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053961:Azabicyclo Compounds; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D011912:Rats, Inbred ACI
chemical_list: D053961:Azabicyclo Compounds; D002273:Carcinogens; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; C014738:petasitenine