title: European medicinal and edible plants associated with subacute and chronic toxicity part II: Plants with hepato-, neuro-, nephro- and immunotoxic effects.
abstract: A tremendous surge of public interest in natural therapies has been reported in the past several decades in both developing and developed countries. Furthermore, edible wild-growing plants whose use had long been associated with poverty and famine have also gained in popularity among people in developed countries. An important fraction of herbal products evade all control measures and are generally perceived as safe. However, this may not always be true. It is important to recognize that some plants are not associated with acute toxicity but rather produce more insidious problems, which develop only with long-term exposure. In this review, we continue a systematic analysis of the subacute and chronic toxicity associated with the use of herbal preparations. The hepato-, neuro-, nephro- and immunotoxicity of plant species that either grow natively or are cultivated in Europe are discussed in some detail. The basic concepts regarding the molecular mechanisms implicated in their nonacute toxicity and their pathophysiological, clinical and epidemiological characteristics are included. Among others, we discuss the hepatotoxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, the nephrotoxicity of aristolochic acid, the lathyrism associated with neurotoxin swainsonine, thiamine depletion and thyroid dysfunction of herbal cause, and finally address also the immunosuppressive effects of cannabinoids.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Primary Healthcare of Gorenjska, ZD Kranj, Gosposvetska ulica 10, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia. Electronic address: luka.kristanc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Luka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kristanc
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška cesta 32, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: Samo.Kreft@ffa.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Samo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kreft
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002208:Caproates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D003474:Curcumin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002208:Caproates; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008689:Methacrylates; C000612081:PDMAEMA-b-PCL-b-PDMAEMA; D011108:Polymers; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D005978:Glutathione; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: European plants; Hepatotoxic; Immunosuppressive; Nephrotoxic; Neurotoxic; Thiamine depletion