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Poisonous Plant – Pokeweed
Phytolaccaceae (Phytolacca americana) identification: Ovate leaves, pointed at tip; purple stem when mature; elongated clusters of purple berries. grows from a big rootstock with thick, purple, hollow stems. May reach a height of 10 feet.
The plant's habitat includes gardens, waste areas, empty lots, and the edges of wooded areas.
Toxins: every portion, especially the root, is toxic. Formic acid, tannin, phytolaccine, and resinous acid are chemically active compounds. Saponins are the parts of the plant that are harmful.
Symptoms: consuming undercooked vegetables can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping in the abdomen, dermatitis, dizziness, and weakness. Seizures, low blood pressure, fast heartbeat, blocking of the electrical impulses that cause the heart to contract, and even death are possible outcomes in both acute and advanced reactions.
First Aid: Within 24 hours, symptoms go away with a mild dosage that is self-limiting. Ingestion of large amounts is a medical emergency; remove the patient.
Note: Red food coloring is made by the food industry from the juice of the berries. Pokeweed tincture or alcohol extract is used by farmers and dairy farmers to lessen udder swelling in cows. Pick young green leaves before the stems turn purple for best safety. Young green leaves can be eaten after being thoroughly cooked in a change of water and then sautéed. Pokeweed antiviral protein, or PaP, has been proven in lab studies to have anticancer effects in mice and to have antiviral properties against viruses like the human immunodeficiency virus and herpes. Certain formulations of PaP may prove effective against hormone-dependent cancer cells, such as those found in ovarian, breast, and prostate cancers, according to other studies.
Phytolaccaceae (Phytolacca americana) identification: Ovate leaves, pointed at tip; purple stem when mature; elongated clusters of purple berries. grows from a big rootstock with thick, purple, hollow stems. May reach a height of 10 feet.
The plant's habitat includes gardens, waste areas, empty lots, and the edges of wooded areas.
Toxins: every portion, especially the root, is toxic. Formic acid, tannin, phytolaccine, and resinous acid are chemically active compounds. Saponins are the parts of the plant that are harmful.
Symptoms: consuming undercooked vegetables can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping in the abdomen, dermatitis, dizziness, and weakness. Seizures, low blood pressure, fast heartbeat, blocking of the electrical impulses that cause the heart to contract, and even death are possible outcomes in both acute and advanced reactions.
First Aid: Within 24 hours, symptoms go away with a mild dosage that is self-limiting. Ingestion of large amounts is a medical emergency; remove the patient.
Note: Red food coloring is made by the food industry from the juice of the berries. Pokeweed tincture or alcohol extract is used by farmers and dairy farmers to lessen udder swelling in cows. Pick young green leaves before the stems turn purple for best safety. Young green leaves can be eaten after being thoroughly cooked in a change of water and then sautéed. Pokeweed antiviral protein, or PaP, has been proven in lab studies to have anticancer effects in mice and to have antiviral properties against viruses like the human immunodeficiency virus and herpes. Certain formulations of PaP may prove effective against hormone-dependent cancer cells, such as those found in ovarian, breast, and prostate cancers, according to other studies.
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