Chaconine toxic effects

Tomatine has antifungal and teratogenic effects. Toxic effects are often associated with the ability of 3P-hydroxysterols to bind tomatine in membranes, which destabilises the Kpid bUayer. For tomato alkaloids (a-solanine, a-chaconine and a-tomatine) the same maximum amount has therefore been set as for potato alkaloids. 

Alkaloids are active bioagents in animal tissues. There is clear scientific evidence of this. Crawford and Kocan" " have tested the toxicity of steroidal alkaloids from the potato Solanum tuberosum), such as a-chaconine, a-solanine, solanidine and solasodine, and Veratrum alkaloid, jervine on fish. The results of Crawford and Kocan s research proved that rainbow trout exhibited a toxic response to chaconine, solasidine and solanine, while medaka only did so to chaconine and solanine. Embryo mortality was observed as an effect of toxicity in both species. Many other alkaloids are known to disturb or cause disorder in animal reproductive systems. For example, gossypol from cotton-seed oil is known as a clear reducer of spermatogenesis and premature abortion of the embryo. 

Rayburn, J. R., Bantle, J. A., Qualls, C. W. Jr., Friedman, M. (1995a). Protective effects of glucose-6-phosphate and NADP against a-chaconine-induced developmental toxicity in Xenopus embryos. Food Chem. Toxicol, 33, 1021-1025. 

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