POISONOUS PLANTS
Colchicum autumnale Autumn crocus
Abrus precatorius Jequirity
-Abrus-graceful; precorto pray
-Seeds are used as Rosary beads
-ABRIN a lectin/hemgglutinresembling
ricinin its physiologic action. This is the
toxic substance found in this plant which
may cause death on numerous occasions.
Aconitum napellus Aconite, Monkshood
-Contain highly toxic diterpenoidalkaloids
including ACONITINE.
Aleurites fordii Tung-oil tree
-Produces brown, pendant, spherical fruits
-Commercial tung-oil is obtained from the
seeds which contain the esters of 16-
hydroxyphorbol.
-A single seed can produce severe
gastroenteritis.
Alocasia macrorhiza arrow-shaped leaves
-Grown for ornamental purposes.
-an irritant poison because of the raphides
of Calcium Oxalate and an additional
unknown protein toxin.
Atropa belladonna Deadly Nightshade
-Contains hyoscyamine, a tropanealkaloid.
Blighia sapida Akee
-Produces straw-colored to reddish fruits.
-Fleshy arils of the ripe fruit are eaten after
parboiling and frying.
-The fruit wall and seeds are toxic. Ingestion
produces vomiting sickness that is
marked by hypoglycemia.
-High mortality rate (40-80%)
-2 toxins: HypoglycinA (-methylene-
cyclopropyl-L--aminopropionicacid) and
hypoglycinB (dipeptideof hypoglycinA and
glutamicacid)
-No specific antidotes have been found.
Treatment is primarily sympatomatic.
Cicuta spp. Water hemlock
-Constitute the mostly violently poisonous
plants
-Cicutoxin-unsaturated higher alcohol. A
violent convulsantthat acts directly on the
CNS.
-Contains colchicine
Colocasia antiquorum Elephants ear
-Cultivated for their large showy leaves.
-Contain large amounts of Calcium oxalate
Conium maculatum Poison hemlock
-Resembles wild carrot but with no hairy
stem and leaves. Has a characteristic
mousey odor. Fruits were formerly used
in medicine.
-All parts of the plant are toxic because of
several nicotine-like alkaloids.
-Juice constitutes the famous hemlock
potion of the Greeks that was used to put
criminals to death.
-This plant should be recognized by every
pharmacist.
Convallaria majalis Lily of the Valley
-Contains convallatoxin, a cardiac glycoside.
Daphne mezereum Mezereon
-Alternate leaves, purple flowers, scarlet
leaves.
-Widely cultivated as ornamentals
-All parts of all species are toxic. Drupes are
attractive but can kill a child.
-Toxic principles: Daphnetoxin-bark;
Mezerein-fruits (diterpeneester
derivatives of daphnane)
Datura spp. Thornapple
-hyoscyamine, tropanealk.
Delphinium spp. Larkspur
-Contain a number of toxic polycyclic
diterpenoidalk.
-Human and livestock poisoning
Dieffanbachia sequine Dumbcane
-Common ornamental house plants. Grows
up to 2meters n height. Have large entire
leaves that are either uniformly green or
mottled with white, yellow or other
shades of green.
-Ingestion result in severe corrosive burns of
the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach
caused by calcium oxalate and an
unverified protein toxin.

Digitalis purpurea Foxglove
-Digitoxin& gitoxin, cardioactiveglyc.
Eupatorium rugosum White snakeroot
-opposite, ovate to cordateleaves on
petioles and white flowers
-Positive identification is difficult
-milk sickness ingestion of dairy products
derived from animals poisoned by this
plant.
-Toxic principle: incompletely characterized
and unstable alcohol with a resin acid
Euphorbia spp. Spurge
-Contains a latex that exudes when the plant
is damaged. This is highly irritating and
produces a vessicationfrom contact and
purgation from ingestion.
-These are caused by a large number of
tetracyclicditerpenoidphorbolthat were
shown to act as tumor promoters.
-Poinsettia(E.pulcherrima) Christmas house
plant
Gelsemium sempervirens Yellow jasmine
-dried rhizome and roots. This was used
formerly as a CNS depressant
-Ingestion of some parts may lead to
respiratory failure.
-Gelsemine& semperverine, indolealks.
Hedera helix - English ivy
-External decoration on buildings.
-Ingestion of berries has resulted to
fatalities.
-Hederin, saponinglyc.
Hippomane mancinella Manchineeltree
-All parts are extremely caustic.
-The milky sap contains a complex mixture
of esters of tiglianeand daphne.
Hyoscyamus niger Henbane
-Hyoscyamineand scopolamine
Ilex aquifolium English holly
-oftenlyused as Christmas decoration
-Ingestion of berries produces vomiting,
diarrhea, mild narcosis.
-Active principles are uncharacterized
Ipomea violacea Morning glory
-Ornamental vines
-ergine, ergot alk.
Jatropha curcas/J. multifidi - Physic
nut;tubangbakod
-Botanically related to castor plant
-Produce seeds with purgative oil and the
toxic lectin.
Kalium angustifoila/K. latifolia
Dwarf/mountain laurel
-acetylandromedol, diterpenederivative.
This is a toxic agent in honey produced by
bees that fed on these plants.
Laburnum anagyroides Golden chain
-Legume seeds are commonly ingested by
children which contain cysteine, a
quinolizidinealkthat resembles nicotine.
Lantana camara - Lantana
-Fruit ingestion leads to toxicity of 2-
pentacyclic triterpenes: lantadeneA and B.
Lobelia inflate - Indian tobacco
-Piperidinealk: lobeline
Melia azedarach - Chinaberry tree
-Poisoning results in the ingestion of fruits
associated with resinous fraction
-Irritation, nervous symptoms, fatty
degeneration of liver and kidneys.
Metopium toxiferum - Poisonwood tree
-Active principle is identical or similar to
urushiol, causative agent of poison ivy
dermatitis.
Narcissus spp. Daffodil
-Ingestion of bulbs produce severe
gastroenteritis and nervous symptoms
caused by phenanthridinealk.
Nerium oleander Oleander
-Contains a complex mixture of cardiac
glycosides that are closely related to
digitalis glyc.
Nicotiana tabacum tobacco
-Nicotine
Papaver somniferum poppy
-Isoquinolinealk.
Philodendron spp.- contain arum
toxins,proteins,Calox
-Poisoning in cats 50% fatal
Phoradendron villosum/P. flavescens -Mistletoe
-leaves, stems, berries are toxic due to
phoratoxin, a disulfide bond-containing
protein
Phytolacca americana - Pokeweed
-Various plant parts produce different
degrees of GI upset with weak respiration
and pulse.
-Leaves and roots are especially toxic:
phytolaccatoxin
Podophyllun peltatum - Mayapple
-Produce dermatitis upon contact and
catharsis on ingestion
Poinciana gilliesii - YellowBird of paradise
-Green seed pods are extremely irritating to
the digestive tract
-Should not be confused with Strelitzia,
florists BoP.
Primula obconica - Primrose
-Produces severe contact dermatitis
-priminbenzoquinonederivative that occur
on the glandular hairs of calyx and flower
stalks
Prunus serotine - Wild cherry
-Cyanogeneticglycosides
Ranunculus spp. - Buttercup
-Juice have vesicant properties due to the
presence of a highly unstable -lactone,
protoanemonin.
Rheum rhaponticum - Rhubarb
-Large quantities of oxalic acid and its salts
in the lamina of the leaf
Ricinus communis - castor bean
-ricin, lectin, hemagglutinin the seeds
Robinia pseudoacacia black locust
-The toxin, robin, is located on the seeds,
leaves and bark. It is related to abrin
Sanguinaria canadensis bloodroot
-Sanguinarineisoquinolinealk.
Skimmia japonica - skimmia
-All parts of the plant are toxic but the
berries are the most commonly ingested
-Skimmianinefuroquinolonealkthat acts as
a muscle poison and may cause cardiac
arrest.
Solandra grandiflora - chalice-vine
-Contains tropanealks: atropine,
hyoscyamine, norhyoscyamine.
Solanum spp. Nightshade
-Toxicity of a species varies widely according
to the part used, stage of development
and genetic factors.
-Glycoalkaloidsare not easily absorbed when
ingested. It is hydrolyzed first to release
free alkaminesthen are absorbed which
results to nervous symptoms, dulling of
the senses and stupefaction.
Taxus spp. -YEW
-all species contain a mixture of toxic
alkaloids in the leaves, bark and seeds
but not in the pulp of the fruit.
-Ingestion of 50-100 needles can produce
death through cardiac and respiratory
depression.
Thevetia peruviana - yellow oleander
-most frequent source of serious poisoning
in human
-Contains cardiac glycosides that have
digitalis-like effect.
Toxicodendron radicans poison ivy
-Urushiolphenolicallergen that produces
contact dermatitis
Veratrum viride green hellebore
-steroidal alk.
Wisteria spp. wisteria
-Ingestion produces mild to severe
gastroenteritis that is attributed to the
presence of wistarinand lectin
 Xanthosma sagittofolium - malanga
-Leaves are acrid owing to the presence of
calcium oxalate
Zamia pumila floridaarrowroot
-Cone-bearing palmlikeplants
-Cycasin-Contain carcinogenic and
hepatotoxicglycoside.
-Various partsare used for the preparation of
flour. Poisoning cases result from
improperly prepared products.
Zigadenus spp. death camas
-Contain steroidal glycoside, similar to V.
viride.
MUSHROOMS
A. PROTOPLASMIC
1. Amatoxinspoisoning is characterized by a long
latent period between ingestion of the
mushroom to onset of symptoms.
-Modern treatment involves the removal of the
toxin in the GIT followed by the administration
of analgesics. Additional treatment is
sympatomaticand supportive.
A. PHALLOIDES
A. BRUNNESCENS
2. Gyromitrins-less dangerous but still capable of
producing fatal results.
-Classified as protoplasmic poisons but differ
greatly in chemistry and toxicity from
amatoxins
-are volatile that makes some species edible
-Latent period of 6-10 hrs occurs between
ingestion of mushroom and the onset of
symptoms. Mortality ranges from 15-35%.
Treatment is similar to amatoxins.
G. ESCULENTA
G. GIGAS
3. OrellanineCortinarinA and B
-Produce by the mixture of compounds
contained in Cortinariusspecies.
-2 cyclopeptides, A and B, are the responsible
constituents accounting for the poisonous
nature.
C. ORELLANOIDES
C. ORELLANUS
B. EXERTING NEUROLOGIC EFFECT
1. Muscarinea quarternarycompound isolated
from Amanitamuscariaand closely related to A.
pantherina. Not the principal toxic agent of
these 2.
-Clitocybewhite spores, fleshy central stripes,
broadly adnateto decurrentgills.
-Inocybe-subconicto campanulatepileus,
evanescent cortina, adnateor adnexedgills,
brownish spores.
-Symptoms appear 15-30mins after ingestion.
Increased salivation, perspiration, lacrimation,
abdominal pain, severe nausea, diarrhea.,
slowed pulse, constricted pupils, asthmatic
breathing. Death may result in severe cases
(cardiac/respiratory)
-Treatment involves gastric lavage,
administration of atropine.
2. Ibotenicacid-muscimolactive principle is a
mixture of 2 isoxazolederivatives: ibotenicacid
and muscimol. These compounds differ in their
qualitative effects but
quantitavtivelymuscimolis 5 times active as
ibotenicacid. A 3rdconstituent is muscazone.
-Symptoms appear 30mins-2hrs after ingestion.
Characterized by excitement resembling
alcoholic intoxication, muscular twitching,
depression, loss of consciousness. Death is
infrequent and recovery is ordinarily rapid.
-Treatment is symptomatic, employing mild
depressants followed by stimulants.
3. Psilocybin-psilocin ingestion of small
mushrooms that are not employed as food can
result psychotropic manifestations.
-Psilocybe, Conocybeactive members are
brownish, nondescript in appearance but is
characterized by bluish stains near the base of
the stipe.
-Psilocybin treatment of psychiatric disorders.
Symptoms develop rapidly and continue for
several hours. Anxiety and difficulty in
concentration and comprehension. True and
elementary hallucination may be experienced.
Recovery is spontaneous after 5-10hrs.
C. GASTROINTESTINAL IRRITANTS
-Compounds that have an irritating effect on the
GIT.
 -Chemical nature of the active principles is not
known but presumed to be resin-like
substances..
-Symptoms are prompt in onset. Nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea.

1. Coprine-Coprinusatramentarius
-Concominantingestion of alcohol that give rise to
symptoms resembling alcohol-
disulfirainsyndrome.
-Compound is inactive but breaks down in the
body to form cyclopropanehydrate.
-Normal alcohol metabolism is retarded and
acetaldehyde concentration remains abnormally
high.
-Symptoms occur w/in one half to 2hrs. Recovery
is ordinarily spontaneous and complete. But
severe cases may require gastric lavageand
symptomatic care.