Toxicology and risk assessment of coumarin: focus on human data.

Abstract in brief

• The text discusses the toxicological and risk assessment aspects of coumarin, highlighting its potential hepatotoxic and carcinogenic effects, but notes that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) discounted its genotoxic carcinogenic risk based on new evidence in 2004, leading to a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 0.1 mg per kg of body weight.
• Human data from clinical cases indicated some individuals are more susceptible to coumarin’s liver toxicity than animals, suggesting that certain factors increasing this risk are still unknown, though mechanisms are under discussion.
• The primary source of human exposure is through dietary consumption of cassia cinnamon, especially during the holiday season, with heavy cinnamon consumers potentially reaching or exceeding the TDI, as shown by a survey of over 1,000 people in Germany.