| Poisonous Plants of Georgia | ||||||||
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| The Herbarium of the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia | ||||||||
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| Chemical Compound Classes | |||
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Alkaloids - Alkaloids are complex organic compounds that contain a heterocyclic ring with nitrogen. The nitrogen may be derived from an amino acid or donated by another compound. Alkaloids are divided into sub-classes which include diterpene, steroidal, pyrrolizidine, tropane, quinolizidine, or piperidine alkaloids to name but a few. The following plants included in this website contain alkaloids: |
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| Aconitum
spp. Albizia julibrissin Amianthium muscaetoxicum Astragalus spp. Conium maculatum Crotalaria spp. Datura stramonium Delphinium spp. Gelsemium sempervirens Lobelia spp. |
Lupinus
spp. Nicotiana glauca Ranunculus spp. Senecio spp. Sesbania spp. Solanum dulcamara Solanum tuberosum Veratrum spp. Zigadenus spp. |
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| Glycosides - Glycosides are compounds containing a carbohydrate residue connected to a noncarbohydrate residue via a glycosidic bond. Two of the most important classes of glycosides are cyanogenic and cardiac glycosides. In the presence of certain enzymes, cyanogenic glycosides can free hydrogen cyanide stored in plant cells. Cardiac glycosides, also known as cardenolides, are naturally occurring compounds that can act to slow heart rate. In certain doses they are used medicinally for cardiac ailments but can be poisonous if misused. Saponins are also a class of glycosides composed of glycosides of triterpenoid steroids. In animals, saponins damage red blood cells. | |||
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Apocynum
cannabinum |
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The following plants contain saponins or other glycosides: |
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| Ketones - Ketones include any group or organic compounds containing a carbonyl group bonded to two hydrocarbon groups. In animals, ketones from E. rugosum cause "trembles", a disease that is characterized by muscular trembles, sweating, listlessness, and general weakness. In humans this disease is termed "milk sickness". Humans contract milk sickness by drinking milk from animals that have consumed large amounts of ketone-containing plants. Afflicted persons develop a buildup of lactic acid in muscle tissue. Usually lactic acid is transported to the liver where it is converted to glycogen and stored or transported back to the muscles. The toxin in white snakeroot is believed to somehow interfere with this conversion resulting in lactic acid buildup in the liver. Additionally, this lack of conversion results in a build up of acetone in the blood which is excreted in the urine and expired in the breath. This disease usually results in death. The following plants contain forms of ketones: | |||
Baccharis spp. Eupatorium rugosum Perilla fructescens |
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| Lectins - Lectins are glycoproteins (or sugar-binding proteins) with a non-immune origin that cause animal cells to clump together. Lectins are present in plant and animal species (Budavari et al 1996). The following plants contain lectins: | |||
Abrus precatorius Ricinus communis Sambucus spp. Vicia villosa Wisteria spp. |
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| Terpenes/ Terpenoids - Terpenes and terpenoids are compounds derived from a branched five carbon unit. Terpenes contain certain numbers of these units while terpenoids are derived from these five carbon units. Classes included in this group are sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, tetraterpenes, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, and steroids to name a few. The following plants contain terpenes or terpenoids: | |||
Hedera helix Kalmia spp. Lantana camara Leucothoe spp. Melia azederach Rhododendron spp. |
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