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Biomedical subjects

D Anderson

Publications and source records attributed to D Anderson.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

The effects of vitamin C supplementation on biomarkers of oxygen radical generated damage in human volunteers with "low" or "high" cholesterol levels.

A human volunteer study was conducted to test the effect of vitamin C supplementation on biomarkers of oxygen radical-mediated damage in individuals with a range of serum cholesterol levels. A group of 48 non-smokers, 24 men and 24 women, was selected from a panel of over 100 volunteers to give as wide a range of serum cholesterol levels as possible. None of the volunteers was taking medication to control cholesterol levels and they maintained their normal dietary habits so as not to compromise their cholesterol status. Volunteers were allocated to three groups of 16, each consisting of four males with low cholesterol levels (< 6 mmol/L) matched for age and build with four males with high cholesterol levels (> 6 mmol/L) and eight females matched in the same way. A three-treatment, three-treatment period, cross-over design was adopted to take account of any temporal differences in response. The three treatments given were placebo, 60 mg vitamin C/day (the recommended daily allowance) and 6 g vitamin C/day. Each treatment was given for 14 days with 6 weeks between the treatment periods. All procedures were performed to the standards of Good Clinical Practice. Blood samples were taken at the end of each treatment period. Serum was assayed for cholesterol whilst vitamin C, total antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxidation breakdown products and ras p21 protein levels were measured in plasma. Lymphocytes were examined for DNA damage using the Comet assay and chromosome aberration test. The Comet assay was conducted with and without challenge with hydrogen peroxide and the chromosome aberration test with and without challenge with bleomycin. Vitamin C supplementation caused a statistically significant increase in plasma vitamin C concentrations and total antioxidant capacity but did not affect cholesterol levels or ras p21 protein levels. There was a non-significant dose-related decrease in lipid peroxidation breakdown products with vitamin C supplementation. No effect on DNA damage was observed in the Comet assay, either with or without hydrogen peroxide challenge, or in the chromosome aberration test without bleomycin. However, a statistically significant increase in bleomycin-induced aberrations was found after vitamin C supplementation. This may be due to effects of vitamin C on iron status. Comparison of male and female subjects showed statistically significant differences in plasma vitamin C levels, the antioxidant capacity of the plasma and the number of chromosome aberrations induced by bleomycin challenge of lymphocytes in vitro. The results were the same for both low and high cholesterol subjects. This study provides no evidence of a beneficial effect on any of the biomarkers studied of vitamin C supplementation over a short-term supplementation period of 2 weeks in a population of healthy, non-smoking individuals eating a nutritionally adequate diet.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A retrospective analysis of the efficacy and safety of metformin in the African-American patient.

A retrospective analysis was conducted to determine the effects of metformin on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body weight, and adverse events in an African-American population. Thirty-six patients who were receiving combination therapy with metformin and either a sulfonylurea or insulin were identified from a hospital pharmacy database. Nineteen patients met the criteria for efficacy analysis. The combination of metformin with either a sulfonylurea or insulin resulted in a decrease of the average HbA1c from a baseline of 10.07% to 7.92% (delta = 2.15%). The effect of combination therapy on weight was variable; however, twice as many patients lost weight compared with those who gained weight. Metformin appeared to be well-tolerated, with gastrointestinal symptoms being the most commonly reported adverse events.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Prognostic significance of t(14;18) and bcl-2 gene expression in follicular small cleaved cell lymphoma and diffuse large cell lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether there is an association between the presence of t(14;18) and bcl-2 gene expression, on one hand, and clinical presentation and outcome, on the other hand, in patients with follicular small cleaved cell lymphoma (FSCCL) and diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL), in light of conflicting reports concerning the prognostic significance of these parameters. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study and molecular analysis of archived tissue. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: Sixty-two patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, of whom 33 (13 women and 20 men) had FSCCL and 29 (9 women and 20 men) had DLCL. Their ages ranged from 27 to 88 years. INTERVENTIONS: Presence of t(14;18) was determined using Southern blot analysis or polymerase chain reaction or both. The level of bcl-2 gene expression was determined by immunohistological analysis using a monoclonal mouse anti-human antibody (DAKO-Bcl-2, 124). OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical stage of lymphoma at diagnosis and responsiveness to treatment, and the correlation between these clinical parameters and t(14;18) status and bcl-2 gene expression. RESULTS: There was no clear association between t(14;18) status and prognosis for either FSCCL or DLCL. In contrast, high bcl-2 expression clearly predicted a generally poor prognosis in patients with FSCLL (p = 0.0146) and indicated resistance to treatment in those with DLCL (p = 0.0853). CONCLUSION: In non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, level of bcl-2 gene expression may represent a useful, independent prognostic indicator to identify high-risk patients and choose specific therapeutic approaches.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Effects in the Comet assay of storage conditions on human blood.

The Comet assay is a rapid and sensitive method for analyzing single cells for DNA damage. Using human lymphocytes, the assay is particularly useful for human monitoring studies, as well as for in vitro genotoxicity testing of chemicals. In such studies, it is not always possible to collect and process matched samples on the same day as the blood is taken. It would be useful if some samples could be stored and examined at a different time, without loss of viability or other factors affecting responses. It is thus important to understand the effects of storage conditions on blood to be used in such studies and how exposure or treatment might modify such responses. In a joint study in two laboratories, blood was taken from various donors and stored under different conditions. It was examined on day 1 (day on which sample was taken) and days 2, 3, 4, 5, or 8 at room temperature, 4 degrees C, or -20 degrees C. Cells were treated after storage (from day 2 onward) with bleomycin (BLM) and ethylnitrosourea (ENU). The data were analyzed either by eye (classifying cells with different categories of damage) or by using a computerized image analysis system (Kinetic Imaging Ltd., Liverpool UK. Software Package Comet 3.0) where the tail moment, which is considered to be a sensitive measurement, has been analyzed. There was no loss of cell viability at 4 degrees C or room temperature up to 8 days when measured by trypan blue dye exclusion. Findings suggest that on days 1-4 for the untreated samples at room temperature or 4 degrees C there were no biologically meaningful changes in both the different categories of cell damage and tail moment data. In treated cultures up to day 4, either at room temperature or at 4 degrees C, responses were only minimally affected and changes were considered not to be of biological significance. However, there was slightly less variability between samples at 4 degrees C than at room temperature in one laboratory. The reverse was true in the other. This would suggest that samples can probably be stored up to day 4 at 4 degrees C or room temperature without any untoward effects. Provided samples can be processed within this 4-day time frame, it would not seem necessary to cryopreserve samples at -196 degrees C.

Bleomycin↗
PubMed1996

Male-mediated F1 effects in mice exposed to 1,3-butadiene.

We examined the effects on dominant lethality, the incidence of fetal abnormalities and tumour incidence in surviving offspring of acute and subchronic exposure of male mice by inhalation to the industrial monomer, 1,3-butadiene. In the acute study, CD-1 mice were exposed to atmospheres containing 0 (n = 25), 1250 (n = 25) or 6250 ppm (n = 50) for 6 h, and each male was caged 5 days later for 1 week with two untreated virgin females. One of the females was killed humanely on day 17 of gestation. The other was allowed to deliver and rear her litter and the litters were monitored throughout adulthood. The killed female was examined for the number of live foetuses, the number of post implantation deaths (early and late) and the number and type of any gross malformations. In the subchronic study, males were exposed to 0 (n = 25), 12.5 (n = 25) or 1250 (n = 50) for 6 h per day on 5 days per week for 10 weeks and then mated the next morning. Mating and observation details were as for the acute study. Acute exposure to butadiene resulted in only a small decrease in implantations; after 10 weeks' subchronic exposure with either the high or low concentration, however, a wide variety of statistically significant effects was seen. At 1250' ppm, the number of implantations was reduced, dominant lethal mutations were induced, and the incidences of early and late deaths were increased; some of the live foetuses were malformed. The low dose also increased the frequency of malformations and late deaths but it did not affect the number of early deaths. Skeletal examination of malformed foetuses, randomly selected normal litter mates and controls confirmed the abnormalities seen at necropsy in malformed foetuses. However, karyotypic analysis of foetal liver from malformed foetuses, randomly selected normal litter mates and controls showed no karyotypic abnormalities. The number of gross suspected tumours in the F1 adults did not appear to reveal an increase over control values. Thus, butadiene is mutagenic in the germ cells of male mice, as shown by the induction of dominant lethality at 1250 ppm, and the frequencies of late deaths and congenital malformations appear to be increased at the subchronic level of 12.5 ppm and skeletal examination of malformed foetuses confirmed the macroscopic abnormalities.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1996

An investigation of bone marrow and testicular cells in vivo using the comet assay.

The effects of the mutagens, cyclophosphamide (CP), ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), bleomycin (BLM) and the testicular toxin ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) in bone marrow and testicular cells have been compared in the alkaline COMET assay. Sprague-Dawley rats were administered by gavage with 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight (bw) of CP; 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg bw EMS; 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg bw BLM and 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg bw EGME. Effects were examined at week 2 after treatment for CP, EMS BLM and EGME and at weeks 5 and 6 for EGME. Bone marrow cells were removed and separated by aspiration of the femur and testicular cells by decapsulation of the testis, treating with collagenase followed by trypsin. Various statistical methods were used to analyse the data. For CP there was an increase in damage above control values for bone marrow at 50 mg/kg bw which decreased at 100 mg/kg bw, and there was mortality of the animals at 150 mg/kg bw. A similar response was found in the testicular cells. For EMS and BLM, there were only occasional slight increases in damage in bone marrow and testicular cells. Two studies were conducted with EGME. In the first, where effects were examined at week 2 after treatment, there was an increase in damage in bone marrow cells, but a larger response was observed in testicular cells. In the second study where effects were examined at weeks 5 and 6 after treatment, bone marrow and testicular cells were not affected. The overall results showed that damage persisted for 2 weeks after treatment with CP and EGME but not in weeks 5 and 6 for EGME. Various statistical methods were used to analyse the data. Statistically significant responses were produced after treatment with CP and EGME and were dose-related for EGME, but after treatment with EMS and BLM statistical increases were sporadic. These results suggest that the assay is useful for measuring DNA damage and its persistence, and for comparing the sensitivity of different target organs in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Monitoring of occupational exposure to cytostatic anticancer agents.

Many anticancer agents have been shown to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic in experimental animals and in in vitro test systems. Epidemiological data on the association of second neoplasms with a specific chemotherapy treatment is available on some 30 agents, and in the case of 10 compounds the overall evidence on human carcinogenicity has been evaluated to be conclusive (Group 1: IARC, 1987 and 1990). The primary source of human exposure to anticancer drugs is from their use in therapy of cancer. However, persons employed in the manufacture, preparation and administration of the drugs to patients and in nursing patients may also be exposed. Safe handling of anticancer drugs, since the introduction of various general handling guidelines, is now good practice in hospitals, pharmacies and drug manufacturing companies of most developed countries. Careless handling of cancer chemotherapeutic agents may lead to exposure of the personnel in amounts detectable with chemical or biological methods in the body fluids or cell samples of the subjects. The exposure is typically to mixed compounds over long-term and to low exposure levels with accidental peaks. Therefore, the use of biological exposure markers is appropriate for the monitoring of such exposure patterns. The biological markers/methods for exposure assessment are either non-specific (e.g., cytogenetic damage, point mutations or 32P-post-labelling adducts in peripheral blood lymphocytes, urinary mutagenicity) or specific for a given compound (immunological methods for DNA adducts, specific analytical methods). Studies have revealed minor amounts of cyclophosphamide in the urine of pharmacy technicians and nurses handling the drug even when taking special safety precautions (Sessink et al. (1994a) J. Occup. Med., 36, 79; Sessink et al. (1994b) Arch. Env. Health, 49, 165). Another study showed surface wipe samples with measurable cyclophosphamide even away from the handling site (McDevitt et al. (1993) J. Occup. Med., 5, 57). These studies strongly implicate the importance of skin absorption as an exposure route. Also accidental spillage is never completely avoidable (Sorsa et al. (1988) Mutation Res., 204, 465-479). The potential confounders (smoking etc.), toxicokinetics of the agent(s) to be assessed and individual working practices should be carefully considered in any exposure assessment studies using human body fluid samples. Environmental monitoring on indicator cytostatics should be combined into studies designed to identify potential occupational exposure situations to anticancer agents. A properly performed study should also include dissemination of information to the workers to create a psychologically positive atmosphere for this important work.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1996

Synthesis report of the step project detection of germ cell mutagens.

The project 'Detection of Germ Cell Mutagens' was designed with three major goals: (1) Detection and characterization of germ-cell mutagens; (2) standardization and validation of new germ-cell tests; and (3) development of a data base on germ-cell mutagenicity. All three goals were achieved. The classical germ-cell tests were applied to characterize the genetic effects of acrylamide (AA), 1,3-butadiene (BD), trophosphamide (TP) and urethane (UR). All but UR were found to cause heritable genetic damage. The experimental data obtained for AA and BD were the basis for genetic risk evaluations during the EC/US Workshop on Risk Assessment 'Human Genetic Risk from Exposure to Chemicals, Focusing on the Feasibility of the Parallelogram Approach'. Nine chemicals were employed to validate the spermatid micronucleus assay with mice and rats: AA, BD and its metabolites 1,2-epoxybutene-3 and 1,2:3,4-diepoxybutane, chlorambucil, mitomycin C, methylnitrosourea, TP and UR. The spermatid micronucleus test was combined with micronucleus tests in somatic cells such as bone marrow or peripheral blood erythrocytes, and splenocytes which allowed a comparison of effects in somatic and germinal cells. Improvements of the spermatid micronucleus test included BrdU-labelling of premeiotic S-phase for the determination of stage sensitivity and fluorescence in situ hybridization with pancentromeric DNA-probes to distinguish between clastogenic and aneugenic events. The results indicate that the spermatid micronucleus test with its improvements is an adequate procedure to detect germ-cell clastogenicity and to compare the activity of chemicals in different tissues and between species, i.e., rats and mice. Other germ cell methods under study were the flow cytometric measurement of testicular sperm DNA and the cytogenetic analysis of preimplantation embryos for chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei. The collection of a reliable germ-cell data base was accomplished through a critical evaluation of the literature and with the data obtained in the present project. Remarkable concordance between responses of germ cell tests to chemical mutagens was the most striking conclusion to be drawn from the present data base.

Acrylamide↗
PubMed1996

IPCS harmonization of methods for the prediction and quantification of human carcinogenic/mutagenic hazard, and for indicating the probable mechanism of action of carcinogens.

A flow chart is presented as a recommended sequence of tests to predict the carcinogenic hazard, and to predict and quantify the mutagenic hazard to germ cells of chemicals to humans. Ten associated principles of testing for these endpoints are also suggested. These recommendations are the result of a meeting convened under the auspices of the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS), as part of their project on 'Harmonization of Approaches to the Assessment of Risk from Exposure to Chemicals'. The meeting was held at Carshalton, Surrey, from 13-17 February 1995.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

A comparison of low-molecular-weight heparin administered primarily at home with unfractionated heparin administered in the hospital for proximal deep-vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with acute proximal deep-vein thrombosis are usually treated first in the hospital with intravenous standard (unfractionated) heparin. However, the longer plasma half-life, better bioavailability after subcutaneous administration, and more predictable anticoagulant response of low-molecular-weight heparins make them attractive for possible home use. We compared these two approaches. METHODS: Patients with acute proximal deep-vein thrombosis were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous standard heparin in the hospital (253 patients) or low-molecular-weight heparin (1 mg of enoxaparin per kilogram of body weight subcutaneously twice daily) administered primarily at home (247 patients). The study design allowed outpatients taking low-molecular-weight heparin to go home immediately and hospitalized patients taking low-molecular-weight heparin to be discharged early. All the patients received warfarin starting on the second day. RESULTS: Thirteen of the 247 patients receiving low-molecular-weight heparin (5.3 percent) had recurrent thromboembolism, as compared with 17 of the 253 patients receiving standard heparin (6.7 percent; P=0.57; absolute difference, 1.4 percentage points; 95 percent confidence interval, -3.0 to 5.7). Five patients receiving low-molecular-weight heparin had major bleeding, as compared with three patients receiving standard heparin. After randomization, the patients who received low-molecular-weight heparin spent a mean of 1.1 days in the hospital, as compared with 6.5 days for the standard-heparin group; 120 patients in the low-molecular-weight- heparin group did not need to be hospitalized at all. CONCLUSIONS: Low-molecular-weight heparin can be used safely and effectively to treat patients with proximal deep-vein thrombosis at home.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Levels of ras oncoproteins in human plasma from 1,3-butadiene-exposed workers and controls.

In a Czech plant near Prague, 10 samples from male workers occupationally exposed to 1,3-butadiene and 13 exposed to 1,3-butadiene/styrene were compared with unexposed male negative controls, matched for age and smoking habits, for the presence of ras oncoproteins in their plasma. Proteins were separated by gel electrophoresis, transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane by Western blotting and detected by chemiluminescence, using monoclonal ras antibody as the primary antibody. There were no statistically significant differences between the 3 groups (pooled two-sample t-test, untransformed and non-parametric Mann-Whitney test). These results are in keeping with the lack of exposure-related effects for 3 cytogenetic endpoints (chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei) already reported (Sorsa et al., 1994 Mutation Res., 309, 321-326) for this work-force exposed to low (below 3 ppm) exposure levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

ras oncoproteins in human plasma from lung cancer patients and healthy controls.

In order to explore the significance of ras oncoproteins in plasma in the carcinogenic process, we have examined samples from 40 Polish human lung cancer patients prior to treatment. They were compared with 35 healthy donors and have been screened using a direct analysis of the plasma. Proteins were separated by gel electrophoresis, transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane by Western blotting and detected by chemiluminescence, using monoclonal ras antibody as the primary antibody. Elevated increases in ras oncoproteins were determined where an increase was considered to be greater than 2 standard deviations above the mean negative control values. The results showed that in 45% of cancer patients ras oncoprotein levels were statistically significantly increased (P < 0.001, pooled two-sample t-test untransformed, and non-parametric Mann-Whitney test) in the plasma by comparison with 6% in the controls. This would suggest that an increase in ras oncoproteins in plasma could be a possible prognostic marker or biomarker for lung cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Detection of CYP1A1 mRNA levels and CYP1A1 Msp polymorphisms as possible biomarkers of exposure and susceptibility in smokers and non-smokers.

It is important to determine sensitive biomarkers for both exposure and susceptibility since differences in individual susceptibility to potentially hazardous chemicals may represent a major variable in the assessment of risk. Induction of cytochrome P450IA1 (CYP1A1) may be a measure of environmental exposure to aromatic hydrocarbons in cigarette smoke. This study investigated the use of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect constitutive levels of CYP1A1 mRNA in the peripheral lymphocytes of a population of smokers and non-smokers as a potential marker of exposure. In addition, the presence of an Msp 1 restriction fragment length polymorphism was analyzed using a simple PCR method as a biomarker for susceptibility. DNA and RNA were isolated from the peripheral lymphocytes of 20 smokers and a matched group of non-smokers. RT-PCR was used to detect the endogenous levels of CYP1A1 mRNA with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase as a control gene. The 3'-region of CYP1A1 gene was amplified by PCR and underwent restriction digestion with Msp 1 to detect the polymorphism. The endogenous CYP1A1 expression as detected by RT-PCR was very low and variable and there was a slight but not significant increase in the smokers by comparison with non-smokers. Thirty-two of the volunteers were homozygous for the normal allele while 8 were heterozygous for the uncommon Msp 1 allele and none was homozygous for the polymorphism. The allele frequency (0.1) was found to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Since only a slight increase was seen in endogenous CYP1A1 mRNA levels in the peripheral lymphocytes of smokers by comparison with non-smokers, the effect may have been diluted by variation in sensitivity to dose, a threshold of exposure effect, or the return of mRNA to baseline between exposures. The wide variation in mRNA levels may reflect the influence and exposure of different environmental factors. The sensitivity of PCR-based methods suggests that they may have an important role in future overall biomonitoring of exposure and susceptibility to environmental chemicals.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1996

An investigation of some Turkish herbal medicines in Salmonella typhimurium and in the COMET assay in human lymphocytes.

Medicinal plants play a major role in the life of Turkish people and of late medicinal plant usage has increased in many countries. Green plants in general contain mutagenic and carcinogenic substances, but there is little information about the biological activities of herbal medicine. In the present study, therefore, various Turkish medicinal herbs were investigated for their genotoxic potential in the Salmonella typhimurium microsomal activation assay and the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (COMET) assay. Extracts from these medicinal herbs and some fractions of these extracts were examined. The species investigated were Arctium minus, Ecballium elatterium, Momordica charantia, Plantago major, Urtica dioica, Viscum album, Salvia triloba, Euphorbia rigida, Stachys lavandulifolia, Acteoside, Abies nordmannia. They are used for various immune disorders and are applied either topically or taken orally as a herbal tea. Of the 19 samples of the extracts and fractions investigated, none produced a positive response in strains TA98 and TA100 with or without metabolic activation, but all produced an increase above negative control values in the COMET assay. Some extracts were investigated further and produced dose-related increases. In the case of Urtica and Euphorbia species, where two fractions from these plants were examined, one fraction produced a greater response than the other. It is suggested that the lesser response of the fractions might be due to less DNA strand-breaking agents in the fractions or they may have antigenotoxic properties. The breaks that are detected in the COMET assay could be alkali-labile AP-sites and intermediates in base- or nucleotide-excision repair and are difficult to interpret in terms of hazard for man. Further studies with additional genotoxicity assays would be required to make such a prediction.

DNA Damage↗
PubMed1996

Polyclonal lymphoid tumor of the choroid plexus presenting as an intraventricular mass in a young gorilla.

An unusual lymphoid lesion with reactive germinal centers, occurring in the choroid plexus of a young gorilla, is reported. It presented as a large mass in the lateral ventricle with hydrocephalus and neurological symptoms. A work-up did not reveal any underlying cause for this lesion. No similar lesion of the choroid plexus has been reported in either human or veterinary literature. Histological work-up, including flow cytometry, gene rearrangement studies and T and B cell markers, favored the lesion being a non-neoplastic lymphoid proliferation of unknown etiology. The prognosis is unknown, although, following complete removal, the animal is well and free of tumor at the time of this report.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

A study of the toxic hazard that might be associated with the consumption of green potato tops.

Eating green potatoes has reportedly led to poisoning attributed to potato glycoalkaloids (PGA), primarily alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine. Concentrations of PGA increase during the greening of potatoes but are reportedly much higher in potato tops (leaves). As it is known that members of the UK Bangladeshi community consume potato tops, a study of the toxic hazard that may be associated with the consumption of green potato tops has been carried out. PGA in seven potato varieties were determined by HPLC. Tubers protected from light contained 0.05-0.65 mg/100 g alpha-solanine and 0.3-0.63 mg/100 g alpha-chaconine. Concentrations in leaf samples ranged from 0.64 to 22.6 mg alpha-solanine/100 g and 0.06 to 55.7 mg alpha-chaconine/100 g. Aqueous leaf extracts were cytotoxic to Chinese hamster ovary cells and lysed human, rat and hamster blood cells with no difference in sensitivity among species. Oral administration of potato tops to rats, mice and Syrian hamsters had no adverse effects at the highest practicable dose. A mixture of alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine (1:1, w/w) given orally at doses of up to 50 mg/kg body weight to hamsters had no effect, but a single ip injection of 25 mg/kg body weight or greater was lethal, with bleeding in the gut. High concentrations of cytotoxic PGA were found in some potato tops, but their effect in laboratory animals was minimal. It is concluded that the consumption of moderate quantities of potato tops (2-5 g/kg body weight/day) is unlikely to represent an acute health hazard to humans.

Animals↗