THE PLANTS surrounding us can be a source of poison or remedy. We are wise if we learn how to use our plants safely as complementary medicines.
Plants are sedentary and have to suffer the ravages of many mouths insects, caterpillars, birds, even humans! Many pathogens - bacteria, fungi, viruses and so on - also feed on plants. Without mechanisms of defence, plants would not survive.
Plants consists of two main types of chemicals - primary and secondary. The primary chemicals or metabolites are similar in all plants and are concerned with those activities essential for life such as photosynthesis, growth and respiration.
The secondary metabolites are not essential for life, but are instead useful in a myriad of ways. Anthocyanins, for example, gives petals their colour that attracts pollinators. Hypoglycin in unopened ackees prevents predators from feeding on them, and is poisonous to humans. Many unripe fruits are poisonous to man for this reason. Some of these secondary metabolites are important as they can kill the pathogens that try to feed on a plant. A plant possessing these chemicals that kill pathogens, thus surviving the onslaught, is considered to be resistant. On the other hand, if it is deficient and cannot withstand the onslaught, it is susceptible.
The importance to man of these secondary metabolites, and some primary metabolites as well, is this some are poisonous to man as they are to other plant predators; while some kill the pests of man as well as plants, and thus are our remedies. For some plants, large doses are poisonous, while small doses are remedies. Caution is necessary.
When you send your children outside to play you may have taught them never to touch cow itch or eat those tempting, shiny, berries. But did you know that dangerous or possibly deadly plants may be lurking in your home ? And if these plants are ingested they may cause serious problems. Some plants may cause painful burning sensations throughout the lips, tongue, mouth, and throat. These are minimal side effects. There are plants out there that can cause temporary blindness, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain and worse. To prevent this from happening to children and pets you should research any plant you're considering bringing into your home.
Milkweeds (Asclepias spp) are an interesting plant species. The milky sap, latex, is very poisonous to humans, yet beneficial to the monarch butterfly. Plants with milky latex (Euphorbiaceae family) are particularly suspect.
Below is a list of a few poisonous house plants that you may not want around you if you have children or house pets:
Asparagus fern - Asparagus densiflorus/ berries, contact with plant sap/ skin irritation with redness, swelling, and blisters, following contact with sap.
Bird of Paradise flower - Strelitzia reginae/ seeds and pods/ irritation of the mouth immediately after chewing, may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and drowsiness.
Caladium - Caladium hortulanum/ the whole plant is injurious when ingested/ intense irritation of the lips, mouth, and throat.
Castor Bean - Ricunus communis/ seeds, and to a lesser extent leaves/burning of mouth and throat, nausea, vomiting, severe stomach pains, diarrhoea, excessive thirst, prostration, dullness of vision, convulsions, uremia and death. One to three seeds may be fatal to a child.
Croton - Codiaeum variegatum / bark, roots, latex/ burning of the mouth, latex has caused eczema in some gardeners.
Dumb Cane - Deiffenbachia/ leaf/ chewing on leaves produces immediate intense pain followed by swelling of the mouth.
Lantana - lantana camara/ unripe berries, and leaves/ vomiting and diarrhoea, dilated pupils and respiratory distress.
Philodendron- philodendron spp./ leaves/ when ingested, causes painful burning of the lips, mouth, tongue, and throat. Contact dermatitis is common.
Source: http://www.
gardenandhearth.com/
Simply_Kids/Health_and_
Safety; 'Poisonous Plants of Jamaica' by Lowe, Morrison, Magnus & Grizzle.
Dr. Sylvia Mitchell, research fellow, Graduate School, University of the West Indies, Mona, email: smitchel@uwimona.edu.jm
