poisonous plants referring Pakistan

1. POISONOUS
PLANTS
REFERRING
PAKISTAN

2. POISONOUS PLANT
 Any plant possessing a property injurious
to man or animal is a poisonous plant.
 Plant may be poisonous to touch.
 Example: Poison ivy, Poison Sumac
 Or orally toxic.
 Example: Poisonous Hemlock.
 Many poisonous plants have great
medicinal value.
 Example: Digitalis Bellaadonna and
Aconite.

3.  Some have been used for hunting poisons
 Example: Strychinine
 For insecticides.
 Example: Pyrethrum.

4. GLORIOSA
SUPERBA

5. •Scientific name:
Gloriosa superba
•Common name:
Flame lily, tiger claw
•Poisonous part:
The entire plant
•Poisonous content:
Colchicine

6. Clinical features of poisoning :
Initial symptoms develop within 6- 12
hours of ingestion
•burning throat
•numbness
•itching
•nausea
•intense vomitting
•diarrhoea with blood and mucous

7.  These lead to ;
• electrolyte imbalance
• Dehydration
• Tachycardia
 In severe cases there may be
• Respiratory depression
• Confusion
• Coma
• Death occurs due to respiratory failure.

8. Treatment:
•Hopitalize the patient immediately
•Induce vomitting / gastric lavage
•Give repeated activated charcoal

9. CONIUM
MACULATUM

10. • Scientific name:
Conium maculatum
• Common name:
Hemlock/ poison hemlock
• Family:
Apiaceae
• Poisonous part:
Leaves
• Poisonous content:
Piperidine alkaloid connine, N-methyl
connine, conhydrine, pseudoconhydrine

11. Description:
It is a biennial herbaceous plant.
Leaves are triangular.
Flowers are small white and clustered.
History:
In ancient Greece hemlock was used to poison
condemned prisoners.
Fatal dose:
Ingestion of 100mg (0.1g) of connine, about 6-8 fresh
leaves can be fatal

12. Symptoms:
•Disrupt the working of CNS
•Bradycardia
•Acute renal failure
•Fatal neuromuscular blockage of respiratory muscles
Treatment:
Administration of active charcoal within one hr. of
ingestion
Sympathomimetics may be needed (benzodiazipine,
atropine etc)

13. STRYCHONUS
NUX-VOMICA

14. • Scientific name:
Strychnos nux-vomica
• Common name:
Poison nut, bitter nut
• Family:
Loganaceae
• Poisonous part:
seed (although all parts are toxic)
• Poisonous content:
Strychine, brucine
• Lethal dose:
The quantity of strychine in one seed can be fatal

15. Toxicity:
Symptoms appear within 15-30 mins of ingestion
•Suffocation
•Twitching of the muscles of neck, body & limbs
•Extreme contractions of al muscles in the body
•Renal failure
•Death is caused by muscular paralysis
Treatment:
•Activated charcoal
•Support respiratory and cardiovascular functions
•When convulsions and hyperactivity are completely
controlled, gastric lavage can be performed safely

16. HYACINTHU
S
ORIENTALIS

17. • Scientific name:
Hyacinthus orientalis
• Common name:
hyacinth
• Family:
Liliaceae
• Poisonous part:
Bulb, flowers and leaves
• Poisonous content:
oxalic acid
• Lethal dose:
Bulb is most toxic and should not be ingeated under
any circumstances

18. Description:
It is a herbaceous flowering plant
It bears purple flowers
Flowers grow around the spike like stem
Toxicity:
•Nausea
•Colic
•Vomiting
•Diarrhoea
•Depression
•Tremors
Treatment:
Always seek professional medical advice

19. IRIS
VERSICOLOR

20. • Scientific name:
Iris versicolor
• Common name:
blue flag/ poison flag
• Family:
Iridaceae
• Poisonous part:
Rhizomes
• Poisonous content:
irisin, iridin

21. Description:
It is perenial herb
With blue or purple flowers
It may be 1-3 ft. tall
Toxicity:
•Minor skin irritation when touched
If ingested,
•Nausea
•Vomitting
•Abdominal pain
•diarrhoea
•Fever

22. EUPHORBI
A
TIRUCALLI

23. • Scientific name:
Euphorbia tirucalli
• Common name:
Fire stick plant, pencil tree
• Family:
Euphorbiaceae
• Poisonous part:
Latex
• Poisonous content:
Euphorbon

24. Description:
Dioecious. Succulent cactus-like milky tree.
Leaves are small
Flowers are yellow in colour
The plant grows in arid and mesophytic zones
Toxicity:
•Severe inflammation of walls of stomach and intestines
on exposure to skin,
•Skin irritation
•Burning sensation
Contact with eyes,
•Severe pain
•In some cases temporary blindness for several days

25. Treatment:
For eye exposure,
•Flushing eyes with fresh and cool water for atleast 15
mins.
For skin contact,
Over the counter anti histamine drugs
.if swallowed , must seek medicalattetion

26. CALADIUM

27. • Scientific name:
caladium
• Common name:
elephant’s ears
• Family:
araceae
• Poisonous part:
entire plant
• Poisonous content:
Calcium oxalate crystals, asparagine

28. Description:
It is a topical plant
Leaves are arrow shaped
No flowers grow on this plant
Toxicity:
•Nausea
•Diarrhoea
•Burning of eyes
•Vomiting
•Swelling of mouth or tongue
Treatment:
•Rinse the affected area with milk or water
•Induce vomiting

29. DATURA
METEL

30. • Scientific name:
Datura metel
• Common name:
Devil’s trumpet, downy thorn-apple
• Family:
Solanaceae
• Poisonous part:
All parts
• Poisonous content:
Tropane alkaloids

31. Description:
Its an annual shrub with large flowers
Flower are white or yellow
Leaves are simple an alternate
Lethal dose:
Ingesting even a single leaf could lead to severe side
effects
Symptoms:
•Thirsty mouth
•Blurred vision
•Urinary retention
Cardiovascular,
•Tachycardia
•Arrhythmia

32. Severe poisoning,
•Disorientation
•Hallucinations
•Respiratory depression
•Coma
Treatment
•Induce emesis or gastric lavage
•Catheterization to empty bladder if necessary
•Diazepam for hallucinations

33. CANNABIS
SATIVA

34. • Scientific name:
cannabis sativa
• Common name:
Marijuana
• Family:
cannabaceae
• Poisonous part:
All parts
• Poisonous content:
canabiol, canabinolic acid, canabinoids
• Lethal dose:
0.035mg/kg

35. Description:
Herbaceous plant
Throughout source of seed oil, industrial fibre and
medicine
Toxicity:
•Tachycardia
•Increased systolic pressure
•Acute irritative effect
•Cough
•Hallucinations
•Fear
•Confusion

36. Treatment:
Intoxication within 4-6 hrs.
In case of overdose medical supervision is needed.

37. URTICA
DIOICA

38. • Scientific name:
Urtica dioica
• Common name:
Common Nettle
• Family:
Urticaceae
• Poisonous part:
• Hair like strucutures on leaves
• Each stinging hair pierces the skin and injects
histamine, causing itching and burning for 12 hrs.

39. Description:
Poisonous tiny hair present on the edges of leaves
Soft green leaves, 3-15cm long
The hair of leaves cause a painful sting.
Toxicity:
•Skin reaction
Treatment:
•Anti-histaminics
•Calamine lotion

40. THEVETIA
PERUVIANA

41. • Scientific name:
Thevetia peruviana
• Common name:
yellow oleander, lucky nut
• Family:
apocyanaceae
• Poisonous part:
seeds (although all parts are toxic)
• Poisonous content:
thevetin A , thevetin B

42. Toxicity:
Early symptoms,
•Burning sensation in mouth
•Tingling of tongue
•Dry throat
•Nausea
•Vomiting
•Diarrhoea
Cardiovascular,
•Bradycardia
•Arrythmia
Other,
•Yellow vision
•Anxiety
•Convulsions
•Coma

43. Treatment:
•Induce emesis at home
•Gastric lavage within 1 hr.
•Atropine 0.5mg IV for bradycardia

44. RICINUS
CUMINUS
LINN

45. • Scientific name:
Ricinus cuminus Linn
• Common name:
castor bean
• Family:
Euphorbiaceae
• Poisonous part:
seeds are most toxic, leaves are also poisonous
• Poisonous content:
Ricin

46. Lethal dose:
1mg/kg pure ricin in man
•Ingestion of a single well chewed seed can cause death
•1-3 seeds can be fatal to a child
•2-4 seeds can cause severe poisoning in an adult
•Poisoning is unlikely if the seeds are swallowed without
chewing
Toxicity:
Early on,
•Burning sensation of the mouth and throat
After 3-6 hrs.,
•Nausea
•Vomiting
•Severe abdominal pain
•Diarrhoea resulting in dehydration

47. Cardiovascular,
•Hypotension
•Tachycardia
Other,
•Prostration
•Blur vision
•Loss of conciousness
•Uremia
Treatment:
•Induce emesis
•Immediate gastric lavage
•Correct fluid and electrolyte imbalance immediately

48. DIFFENBACHIA

49. • Scientific name:
Diffenbachia
• Common name:
dumb cane, mother-in-law
• Family:
Araceae
• Poisonous part:
leaves
• Poisonous content:
calcium oxalate crystals

50. Description:
It is a pernnial herbaceous plant.
Simple and alternate leaves are present containing white
spots and flecks
Toxicity:
Mastication and ingestion result in ,
•Intense numbing
•Oral irritation
•Excessive drooling
•Localized swelling
Treatment:
•Analgesic agents
•antihistamines

51. PLUMERIA
RUBRA

52. • Scientific name:
Plumeria rubra
• Common name:
Red jasmine, temple tree
• Family:
Apocynaceae
• Poisonous part:
All parts
• Poisonous content:
Alkaloids

53. Description:
Large shrubs
Reach high 30 to 40 inches
Fragrant and clustered flowers
Leaves are prolong, thick and branched
Toxicity:
•Irritant to skin
•Mild stomach ache
Treatment:
•Wash the effected area with soap
•If accidently eaten, induce vomiting

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