IJP (2018) 1–12 © JournalsPub 2018. All Rights Reserved Page 1 International Journal of Photochemistry Vol. 4: Issue 2 www.journalspub.com Toxicity, teratogenicity and Genotoxicity of Nicotian tabacum L. and Nicotiana gluaca G.: A Review Najat Ramadan El Zawi 1 *, Abdelhamid Mohamed Abdalla Elyasseri 2 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Benghazi, Binghazi, Libya Department of Zoology, Faculty of Arts and science, University of Benghazi, Tokrah, Binghazi, Libya ABSTRACT Poisoning plant cause significant losses of livestock every year in some countries which lead to birth defects or death. Records of harmful effects by many of these plants are based solely on poisoning of livestock rather than on actual cases of human ingestion. Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana gluaca have been medicinally used and considered as toxic and teratogens. They are contains toxic piperidine and pyridine alkaloids. These alkaloids are acutely toxic and teratogenicity to human, animals and causing mutation whish may lead to cancer or death. This paper aims to present a review of some existing studies and statues of the toxicity, teratogenicity and genotoxicity effect of N. tabacum and N. gluaca, to benefit from their results and conclusions. Keywords: N. tabacum, N. gluaca, toxicity, teratogenicity, genotoxicity Corresponding Author E-mail: academ.b@gmail.com INTRODUCTION Plants have been utilized as medicinal remedy over centuries and been part of the human healing practices and cultured. Today use of medicinal plants increased worldwide. However, medicinal plants synthesis toxic substances [59]. The toxic principles in plants are multiples: alkaloids, glycosides, cyanogenic glycosides, toxalbumin, The role that a particular chemical used as flavors, fragrances, insecticides, dyes, nutritional supplements, poisons, and pharmaceutical agents [23], but can cause allergic reactions, dermatitis, internal poisoning or irritation, blood, nerve or cardiac poisoning, but, most cases of poisoning in human or animals are due to plants containing alkaloids [18]. Alkaloids are chemical compounds termed secondary metabolites that are not involved in basic metabolism, photosynthesis, or reproduction. The name of alkaloids derives from the “alkaline” and it was used to describe any nitrogen- containing base. They are usually organic bases and form salts with acids and when soluble gives alkaline solutions. Major source of alkaloid is flowering plants i.e. Angiosperm [50]. Plants containing piperidine and pyridine alkaloids are among the most important source of human and animal exposure to plant toxins and carcinogens. The piperidine and pyridine alkaloids occur in primarily in solanaceae family, Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana gluaca from this family. Nicotiana tabacum common name tobacco (cigarette) figure (1) it is annual herb, shrub or small tree 0.9-1.50 m in tall the leaves are elliptic. Flower clustered at end of the branches; have a cylindrical calyx and are greenish or reddish in the upper part.