Tussilago farfara L. (farfarae flos, coltsfoot, Kuan Tong Hua), is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine. It is used for the treatment of chronic cough with profuse phlegm, hemoptysis, bronchitis and asthmatic disorders. In this study, we have investigated the hepatotoxic and carcinogenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) contained in the flower buds of Tussilago farfara L. collected from several towns in Taiwan. Two structural types of PAs were identified by GC/MS method: (1) senkirkine (10) and neosenkirkine (21) which are macrocyclic otonecine ester type; (2) senecionine (16) and integerrimine (20) which are macrocyclic retronecine esters type. Quantitation of the individual PAs was determined by linear regression curves. The methyl stearate (22) in two concentration ranges, 7.8-125 μg/mL and 100-800 μg/mL, was examined as an internal standard examined. The PAs were confirmed from plant's flowers by GC/MS analysis. Senkirkine is the major PA in Tussilago farfara L. (3.04-238.08 ?g/g). This study will provide important information to public consumers regarding the health risk of intake Tussilago farfara L. containing PAs.
