Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are a group of naturally occurring compounds found in a wide range of plant species. They are synthesized by plants primarily as a defense mechanism against herbivores, insects and pathogens. However, PAs are known to be potent hepatotoxic and genotoxic compounds, meaning they can cause injury to the liver and damage to the genetic information within a cell, potentially causing mutations. (Schramm, S., Köhler, N. & Rozhon, W. 2019. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids: biosynthesis, biological activities and occurrence in crop plants. Molecules, 24(3): 498.)
