The tansy ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) – a hidden threat in meadows and pastures

Jacobaea vulgaris, a rapidly spreading weed with a light yellow daisy-like flower, is spreading more and more over a large number of green areas in our environment. Since all parts of the plant contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA), Jacobaea vulgaris represents a danger to both the human (poisoning can occur by consuming polluted honey) and animal (gradual poisoning by consuming canned grass) population. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids break down in the liver, causing significant damage to the liver itself but also damage to the central nervous system and can lead to genome alteration and consequent carcinogenic processes in cells. Recovery from poisoning with Jacobaea vulgaris is possible only at an early stage when a large amount of pyrrolizidine alkaloids has not yet been deposited in the body, but then the symptoms are mild and it is not possible to unambiguously link them to the onset of poisoning of an individual. Therefore, it is extremely important to prevent the possibility of poisoning at all that is to eradicate the Jacobaea vulgaris from our meadows and pastures primarily by diligent, responsible and efficient maintenance of green areas in our environment.