Published on July 20, 2024 Poisonous Plant – Mayapple Berberidaceae (Podophyllum peltatum) identification: eastern woodland plant to 2', providing ground cover in a forest. Large, deeply divided leaves resembling umbrellas are present, and in July, a solitary white blossom yields a consumable fruit. By late summer, the plant withers. The plant's other sections are all poisonous.Habitat: Native to eastern North America's deciduous woodlands.Toxins: toxic roots, leaves, and rhizome. Podophyllotoxin, found in mayapples, is cytostatic and applied topically to treat genital and viral warts. Podophyllum resin has a minimum of sixteen additional active substances, such as quercetin, α- and β-peltatins, podophyllic acid, and picropodophyllin.Signs: Strongly cathartic!Overconsumption can result in death and a coma. Podophyllum resin is a strong purging agent that acts as a dramatic cathartic. It is extremely irritating to the intestinal mucosa and causes violent peristalsis. The FDA views the use of pelatins as a laxative to be dangerous since it might irritate the colon. Toxic laxatives are less prevalent.First Aid: Get medical attention right away and contact a poison center. No known particular counteragent. Emeses could be helpful in the early stages of poisoning. Hemodialysis is unsuccessful due to the fat-soluble chemistry, although severe symptoms can be cured in a matter of hours with charcoal hemoperfusion. Use petroleum jelly to remove any irritating resin that has been applied topically. If you make eye contact, wash your face a lot with warm water.Note: Fruit should be consumed sparingly when it is ripe. A few types of malignant neoplasms (cancerous growths) have showed promise in response to etoposide and teniposide from mayapple.
