Research advances in the detoxificating preparation of swainsonine in "locoweed" and its application to anti-tumor.

Swainsonine was the main toxic component of "locoweed",and belonged to polyhydroxyl-substituted indolizidine alkaloid.Swainsonine could inhibit α-mannosidase in animal body and poison both human and animals;it also had strong anti-tumor activity which was beneficial to human beings.The paper introduced the research advances in the biochemical characteristics,poisoning mechanism,detoxification preparation and anti-tumor function of swainsonine,aiming to provide references for preventing and curing swainsonine poisoning and rationally developing swainsonine.