Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #320873
Title: Pro-toxic dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids in the traditional Andean herbal medicine "asmachilca"

Author
item COLEGATE, STEVEN - Utah State University
item BOPPRE, MICHAEL - Albert University Of Freiburg
item MONZON, JULIO - Albert University Of Freiburg
item BETZ, JOSEPH - National Institutes Of Health (NIH)
item Panter, Kip

Submitted to: Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/5/2015
Publication Date: 6/16/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62782
Citation: Colegate, S.M., Boppre, M., Monzon, J., Betz, J.M., Panter, K.E. 2015. Pro-toxic dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids in the traditional Andean herbal medicine "asmachilca". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 172:179-194.

Interpretive Summary: Asmachilca is a Peruvian medicinal herb preparation ostensibly derived from Eupatorium gayanum Wedd. = Aristeguietia gayana (Wedd.) R.M. King & H. Rob. (Asteraceae: Eupatorieae). Decoctions of the plant have a reported bronchodilation effect that is purported to be useful in the treatment of respiratory allergies, common cold and bronchial asthma. However, its attractiveness to pyrrolizidine alkaloid-pharmacophagous insects indicated a potential for toxicity for human consumers. All asmachilca samples and the herbal tea infusions contained toxicologically-relevant concentrations of pro-toxic 1,2-dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloid esters and, therefore, present a risk to the health of humans. This raises questions concerning the ongoing unrestricted availability of such products on the Peruvian and international market. In addition to medical surveys of consumers of asmachilca, in the context of chronic disease potentially associated with ingestion of the dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids, the botanical origins of asmachilca preparations require detailed elucidation.

Technical Abstract: Asmachilca is a Peruvian medicinal herb preparation ostensibly derived from Eupatorium gayanum Wedd. = Aristeguietia gayana (Wedd.) R.M. King & H. Rob. (Asteraceae: Eupatorieae). Decoctions of the plant have a reported bronchodilation effect that is purported to be useful in the treatment of respiratory allergies, common cold and bronchial asthma. However, its attractiveness to pyrrolizine alkaloid-pharmacophagous insects indicated a potential for toxicity for human consumers. All asmachilca samples and the herbal tea infusions contained toxicologically-relevant concentrations of pro-toxic 1,2-dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloid esters and, therefore, present a risk to the health of humans. This raises questions concerning the ongoing unrestricted availabiliuty of such products on the Peruvian and international market. In addition to medical surveys of consumers of asmachilca, in the context of chronic disease potentilally associated with ingestion of the dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids, the botanical origins of asmachilca preparations require detailed elucidation.