Toxicology of solanine: an overview

Solanine is a toxic glycoalkaloid known to accumulate under certain conditions in potato plant, sprouts and tuber in levels which, if ingested, may cause poisoning in humans and farm animals. However, ingested solanine is relatively less toxic than the parenterally administered compound, probably because of its poor absorption, rapid excretion and hydrolysis to less toxic solanine in stomach. Nevertheless, solanine poisoning may cause a gastrointestinal, nervous and exanthematous syndrome severe enough to be fatal. Implications of solanine toxicity in farm animals and humans are discussed in this overview.