It has also been isolated from several other plants, including Brachyglottis repanda, Emilia, Erechtites hieraciifolius, Petasites, Syneilesis, Crotalaria, Caltha leptosepala, and Castilleja.

The liver damage in both acute and chronic intoxication can cause hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOS), signs and symptoms of which include nausea, vomiting, hepatomegaly, and bloody diarrhea.

[5] Additionally, acute intoxication can cause hemorrhagic necrosis and liver failure, with signs and symptoms including weight loss, jaundice, depression, behavior changes, and ascites.

Although there are few if any cases of human cancers directly linked to senecionine intoxication, rodent studies have shown that it is capable of inducing tumor formation in the liver, lung, skin, brain, spinal cord, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract.

[6] Diagnosis of senecionine toxicity is made based on history, physical examination, and liver biopsy.

[5] Lab findings may include increased bile acid concentrations, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoproteinemia, and abnormal liver function tests (LFTs).

However, it has been observed that chronically exposed animals may have normal lab values for months to years despite ongoing liver damage.

[7] Histological abnormalities on biopsy include megalocytosis, necrosis, fibrosis, and biliary hyperplasia, similar to other hepatotoxic ingestions and immune system disorders.

A cocktail of pyrrolizidine alkaloids with senecionine in it has been shown to be toxic to Fusarium fungi at millimolar concentrations.

In Africa, Australia, and the United States, Crotalaria species, shrub-like herbs, have been found to be responsible for similar livestock deaths.

Danaus chrysippus butterflies can safely consume senecionine-containing plants, making them taste very bitter and thus unpalatable to predators.

Consequently, experiments have shown that males deprived of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, including senecionine, in their diets are less successful at mating.