Baby Safety / Compounds / Sago palm (cycasin)

Is Sago palm (cycasin) safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Sago palm (cycasin), potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is sago palm (cycasin)?

The IUPAC name is (Z)-methyl-oxido-[[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxymethylimino]azanium.

Also known as: (Z)-methyl-oxido-[[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxymethylimino]azanium, Cykazine, CYCASIN, beta-D-Glucosyloxyazoxymethane.

IUPAC name
(Z)-methyl-oxido-[[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxymethylimino]azanium
CAS number
14901-08-7
Molecular formula
C8H16N2O7
Molecular weight
252.22 g/mol
SMILES
C[N+](=NCOC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O)[O-]
PubChem CID
5459896

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Sago palm (cycasin), potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Sago palm (cycasin), potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

4 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Sago palm (cycasin). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 2B - Possibly carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / CalEPA—Known human carcinogen
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 2 positive / 1 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 2 positive / 1 negative reports)

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 kids encounter sago palm (cycasin)

  • 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 Sago palm (cycasin):

  • Safer process chemistry; Green chemistry alternatives; Exposure controls
    Trade-offs: Requires R&D investment to redesign synthesis routes; may reduce yield or throughput initially; long-term benefits include reduced waste treatment costs, regulatory compliance, and worker safety; 12 Principles of Green Chemistry framework available.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain sago palm (cycasin)?

Sago palm (cycasin) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

Why do regulators disagree about sago palm (cycasin)?

Sago palm (cycasin) has been classified by 4 agencies including EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / CalEPA, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. 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. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Sago palm (cycasin) in the baby app

Look up products containing sago palm (cycasin), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (2)
  1. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Cycad (Sago Palm) Toxicosis in Companion Animals — Cycasin and Fulminant Hepatic Failure (2022) — report
  2. Wilson CR, Hooser SB: Toxicity of Cycad (Sago Palm) Seeds to Dogs. Veterinary and Human Toxicology — Clinical Features, Treatment, and Mortality (2002) — report

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 →