Editing Jacobaea vulgaris (section)

==Poisonous effects==
[[File:Senecionine2.svg|thumb|Structure of senecionine]]
Ragwort contains many different [[alkaloid]]s, making it poisonous to certain animals. [http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc080.htm (EHC 80,section 9.1.4)]. Alkaloids which have been found in the plant confirmed by the WHO report EHC 80 are -- [[jacobine]], [[jaconine]], [[jacozine]], [[otosenine]], [[retrorsine]], [[seneciphylline]], [[senecionine]], and [[senkirkine]] (p.&nbsp;322 Appendix II). There is a strong variation between plants from the same location in distribution between the possible alkaloids and even the absolute amount of alkaloids varies drastically.<ref>{{cite journal | journal = [[Phytochemistry (journal)|Phytochemistry]] | volume = 65 |issue = 7 | date = April 2004 | pages = 865–873 | author1 = Macel, Mirka | author2 = Vrieling, Klaas | author3 = Klinkhamer, Peter G. L. | title = Variation in pyrrolizidine alkaloid patterns of ''Senecio jacobaea''| doi = 10.1016/j.phytochem.2004.02.009|pmid = 15081286 | bibcode = 2004PChem..65..865M }}</ref>

Ragwort is of concern to people who keep [[horse]]s and cattle.<ref>{{cite journal| doi =10.3390/toxins7124884| pmid =26670251| title =Alkaloid-Containing Plants Poisonous to Cattle and Horses in Europe| journal =Toxins| volume =7| issue =12| pages =5301–7| year =2015| last1 =Cortinovis| first1 =Cristina| last2 =Caloni| first2 =Francesca| pmc=4690134| doi-access =free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| doi = 10.1080/19440049.2010.541288| pmid = 21360374| title = Plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids: Toxicity and problems| journal = Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A| volume = 28| issue = 3| pages = 282–292| year = 2011| last1 = Wiedenfeld| first1 = H| s2cid = 23218347| url = https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00673672/file/PEER_stage2_10.1080%252F19440049.2010.541288.pdf}}</ref> In areas of the world where ragwort is a native plant, such as Britain and continental Europe, documented cases of proven poisoning are rare.<ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1983.tb01781.x| pmid = 6136403| title = Outbreak of ragwort (Senecio jacobea) poisoning in horses| journal = Equine Veterinary Journal| volume = 15| issue = 3| pages = 248–50| year = 1983| last1 = Giles| first1 = C. J.}}</ref> Horses do not normally eat fresh ragwort due to its taste.{{cn|date= July 2023|reason = In fact it does not taste bitter; there are many other very bitter plants which are eated freely by livestock; ragwort is eaten freely and safely by sheep, goats, deer and several other animals, who are clearly not put off by the taste, bitter or not.}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Is ragwort poisonous? A ragwort mythbuster {{!}} Friends of the Earth |url=https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/ragwort-poisonous-ragwort-mythbuster |website=friendsoftheearth.uk |access-date=20 July 2024 |language=en}}</ref> The result, if sufficient quantity is consumed, can be irreversible [[cirrhosis]] of the liver of a form identified as megalocytosis where cells are abnormally enlarged. Signs that a horse has been poisoned include yellow mucous membranes, depression, and lack of coordination.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Theiler |first=Arnold |date=April 1918 |title=Acute Liver-Atrophy and Parenchymatous Hepatitis in Horses. |url=https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/19206300041 |journal=Union of South Africa. Dept. Of Agriculture |pages=7–164 |via=Cabi Digital Library}}</ref>

There is no definitive test for the poisoning however, since megalocytosis is not a change in the liver which is specific to ragwort poisoning. It is also seen in poisoning by other [[Alkylation#Alkylating agents|alkylating agents]], such as nitrosamines and [[aflatoxin]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jubb |first1=K. V. F. |last2=Kennedy |first2=P. C. |last3=Palmer |first3=N. |title=Pathology of Domestic Animals |date=2007 |publisher=Elsevier Saunders |isbn=9780702028236 |edition=5th}}</ref> Aflatoxins are a common contaminant formed in feedstuffs by moulds. Research in the United Kingdom has produced results showing megalocytosis, which may be due to various causes, to be a relatively uncommon cause of liver disease in horses.<ref>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1136/vr.h2817|pmid = 26067012|title = Surveillance focus: Ragwort toxicity in horses in the UK|journal = Veterinary Record|volume = 176|issue = 24|pages = 620–622|year = 2015|last1 = Durham|first1 = A. E.|s2cid = 8833710}}</ref>

The alkaloid does not actually accumulate in the liver but a breakdown product can damage [[DNA]] and progressively kills cells.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Knoop |first=Kirsten |last2=Frahm |first2=Jana |last3=Kersten |first3=Susanne |last4=Kluess |first4=Jeannette |last5=Meyer |first5=Ulrich |last6=von Soosten |first6=Dirk |last7=Beineke |first7=Andreas |last8=Saltzmann |first8=Janine |last9=Dänicke |first9=Sven |date=2024-03-03 |title=Short-term exposure of dairy cows to pyrrolizidine alkaloids from tansy ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris Gaertn.): effects on organs and indicators of energy metabolism |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/1745039x.2024.2350095 |journal=Archives of Animal Nutrition |volume=78 |issue=2 |pages=109–124 |doi=10.1080/1745039x.2024.2350095 |issn=1745-039X}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} About 3-7% of the body weight is sometimes claimed as deadly for horses,{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} but an example in the scientific literature exists of a horse surviving being fed over 20% of its body weight.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}} The effect of low doses is lessened by the destruction of the original alkaloids by the action of bacteria in the digestive tract before they reach the bloodstream. There is no known antidote or cure to poisoning, but examples are known from the scientific literature of horses making a full recovery once consumption has been stopped.<ref>{{Cite journal |pmid = 10816838|pmc = 1476261|year = 2000|last1 = De Lanux-Van Gorder|first1 = V.|title = Tansy ragwort poisoning in a horse in southern Ontario|journal = The Canadian Veterinary Journal|volume = 41|issue = 5|pages = 409–10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |pmid = 2875683|year = 1986 |last1 = Lessard|first1 = P. |title = Clinicopathologic study of horses surviving pyrrolizidine alkaloid (Senecio vulgaris) toxicosis |journal = American Journal of Veterinary Research |volume = 47 |issue = 8 |pages = 1776–80 |last2 = Wilson|first2 = W. D. |last3 = Olander|first3 = H. J. |last4 = Rogers|first4 = Q. R. |last5 = Mendel|first5 = V. E.}}</ref>

The alkaloids can be absorbed in small quantities through the skin but studies have shown that the absorption is very much less than by ingestion.  Also they are in the N-oxide form which only becomes toxic after conversion inside the digestive tract and they will be excreted harmlessly.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ragwort |url=https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/355868 |website=iNaturalist |access-date=11 July 2023}}</ref>

Some sensitive individuals can suffer from an allergic reaction because ragwort, like many members of the family Compositae, contains [[sesquiterpene lactones]] which can cause compositae dermatitis. These are different from the [[pyrrolizidine alkaloids]] which are responsible for the toxic effects.

Honey collected from ragwort has been found to contain small quantities of jacoline, jacobine, jacozine, senecionine, and seneciphylline, but the quantities have been judged as too minute to be of concern.<ref>{{Citation|author= Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food|author-link= Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (United Kingdom)|title= Surveillance for pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey|year= 1995|publisher= UK Food Standards Agency|url= http://archive.food.gov.uk/maff/archive/food/infsheet/1995/no52/52honey.htm|access-date= 2007-08-12|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070808041239/http://archive.food.gov.uk/maff/archive/food/infsheet/1995/no52/52honey.htm|archive-date= 2007-08-08}}</ref>