Senecionine is primarily used in research settings to study its toxicological effects, particularly its role in liver damage and carcinogenicity. It serves as a model compound for understanding the mechanisms of pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity, which is crucial for assessing the safety of herbal medicines and food products. Additionally, it is employed in pharmacological studies to explore potential therapeutic applications, despite its inherent toxicity, by investigating its bioactivity and metabolic pathways.