Pet Safety / Compounds / Solanine (α-solanine)

Is Solanine (α-solanine) safe for dogs and cats?

High risk for pets

Dogs are more sensitive to solanine than humans on a body-weight basis. Toxic symptoms (salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, trembling, seizures in severe cases) occur at approximately 25–50 mg/kg. Dogs may consume green potatoes, potato plants (leaves and stems contain higher solanine concentrations than tubers), or cooked potato skins. Green or raw potato-containing table scraps and potato plant access in gardens are the primary exposure routes. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center lists potato plants and green potatoes as toxic to dogs due to solanine and related chaconine content. Recovery is typically possible with supportive care if ingestion is identified promptly; severe neurological effects require veterinary intervention.

What is solanine (α-solanine)?

The IUPAC name is (2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-[[(1S,2S,7S,10R,11S,14S,15R,16S,17R,20S,23S)-10,14,16,20-tetramethyl-22-azahexacyclo[12.10.0.02,11.05,10.015,23.017,22]tetracos-4-en-7-yl]oxy]-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol.

Also known as: (2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-[[(1S,2S,7S,10R,11S,14S,15R,16S,17R,20S,23S)-10,14,16,20-tetramethyl-22-azahexacyclo[12.10.0.02,11.05,10.015,23.017,22]tetracos-4-en-7-yl]oxy]-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol, alpha-Solanine, RefChem:111392, DTXCID601527922.

IUPAC name
(2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-[[(1S,2S,7S,10R,11S,14S,15R,16S,17R,20S,23S)-10,14,16,20-tetramethyl-22-azahexacyclo[12.10.0.02,11.05,10.015,23.017,22]tetracos-4-en-7-yl]oxy]-4-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-3-yl]oxy-6-methyloxane-3,4,5-triol
CAS number
20562-02-1
Molecular formula
C45H73NO15
Molecular weight
868.1 g/mol
SMILES
CC1CCC2C(C3C(N2C1)CC4C3(CCC5C4CC=C6C5(CCC(C6)OC7C(C(C(C(O7)CO)O)OC8C(C(C(C(O8)CO)O)O)O)OC9C(C(C(C(O9)C)O)O)O)C)C)C
PubChem CID
9549171

Risk for dogs

High risk

Dogs are more sensitive to solanine than humans on a body-weight basis. Toxic symptoms (salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, trembling, seizures in severe cases) occur at approximately 25–50 mg/kg. Dogs may consume green potatoes, potato plants (leaves and stems contain higher solanine concentrations than tubers), or cooked potato skins. Green or raw potato-containing table scraps and potato plant access in gardens are the primary exposure routes. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center lists potato plants and green potatoes as toxic to dogs due to solanine and related chaconine content. Recovery is typically possible with supportive care if ingestion is identified promptly; severe neurological effects require veterinary intervention.

Risk for cats

Moderate risk

Cats are susceptible to solanine toxicity but tend to be less likely to consume potatoes in large quantities than dogs. The toxicological mechanism — cholinesterase inhibition and membrane disruption — applies equally to cats. Solanine-containing Solanum plants (nightshade berries, potato plants) are a concern for outdoor cats. Clinical signs in cats are similar to those in dogs: salivation, vomiting, lethargy, and in severe cases neurological signs. ASPCA lists members of the Solanaceae family, including potato plants and Solanum nigrum, as toxic to cats. Treatment is supportive; prognosis is good for mild-to-moderate exposures.

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Solanine (α-solanine).

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
IARC—Not classifiedIARC has not classified solanine

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where pets encounter solanine (α-solanine)

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Solanine (α-solanine):

  • Avoidance (no chemical substitute)
    Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is solanine (α-solanine) safe for pets?

Dogs are more sensitive to solanine than humans on a body-weight basis. Toxic symptoms (salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, trembling, seizures in severe cases) occur at approximately 25–50 mg/kg. Dogs may consume green potatoes, potato plants (leaves and stems contain higher solanine concentrations than tubers), or cooked potato skins. Green or raw potato-containing table scraps and potato plant access in gardens are the primary exposure routes. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center lists potato plants and green potatoes as toxic to dogs due to solanine and related chaconine content. Recovery is typically possible with supportive care if ingestion is identified promptly; severe neurological effects require veterinary intervention.

What products contain solanine (α-solanine)?

Solanine (α-solanine) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

See Solanine (α-solanine) in the pets app

Look up products containing solanine (α-solanine), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

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Sources (2)
  1. US FDA: Solanine and Chaconine — Potato Glycoalkaloids, Dietary Exposure Assessment, and 200 mg/kg Threshold Review (2012) (2012) — regulatory
  2. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Potato (Solanum tuberosum) — Solanine and Chaconine Toxicity in Dogs and Cats, Clinical Signs, and Case Series (2018) — veterinary

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →