The document discusses several poisonous plants and their toxic effects, including castor, abrus precatorius, croton tiglium, calotropis, plumbago rosea, semecarpus anacardium, capsicum, and ergot. For each one, it describes identifying features, active toxic principles, signs and symptoms of poisoning, treatment, and potential medicolegal importance as accidental or intentional poisons.

1. Dr Mohd Kaleem Khan
Assistant Professor
Department Of Forensic Medicine
JNMCH AMU Aligarh

2. Ricinus communis (Castor, Arandi)
• The castor bean plant, ricinus communis, is a "native
of tropical africa.
• Cultivated in several varieties for the oil found in its
leaves and for its bold foliage.
• Leaves consist of usually eight radiating, pointed
leaflets with slightly serrated edges.
• Entire plant is poisonous esp. Seeds except oil.
• Seeds are smooth, flat, oval, mottled, dark brown
marking, bright and polished and occur in large and
small form.

3. Green Red

4. Small seed Large seed

5. uses
• Oil
• Candles, cosmetics, soaps
• Lubricants in jets
• Purgative
• ornamental

6. MOA:
Active principle:
• Toxalbumin RICIN, a water soluble glycoprotein
• (Ricinus Communis Agglutinin)
– Antigenic- causes agglutination, hemolysis and cell
destruction
– RCA does not penetrate the intestinal wall, and does not
affect red blood cells unless given intravenously

7. • Ricin
– Blocks protein synthesis
– Ricin has special binding protein that gains access to the
endoplasmic reticulum of GIT causing diarrhoea.
• These "ribosome-inactivating proteins" (RIPs) are typically N-
glycosylated, 30 kDa monomers (Type 1 RIPs). However, in order to bind
to the cell surface galactosides and enter the cytosol to reach ribosomes,
they require a second monomer, a galactose-binding, 30 kDa lectin. The
monomers are joined by a disulfide bridge to form the toxic heterodimers
(Type 2 RIPs).

9. • The RTB portion of ricin binds to both glycoproteins and
glycolipids at cell surfaces that terminate with galactose.
• However, just a single ricin molecule that enters the
cytosol can inactivate over 1,500 ribosomes per minute and
kill the cell.
• The ricin A portion of the heterodimer is the enzyme that
binds and depurinates a specific adenine of the 28S rRNA

10. • Endocytosis by coated pits and vesicles or, endocytosis by
smooth pits and vesicles. The vesicles fuse with an endosome.
• Many ricin molecules are returned to the cell surface by
exocytosis, or the vesicles may fuse to lysosomes where the
ricin would be destroyed.
• If the ricin-containing vesicles fuse to the trans Golgi network,
(tgn), there is still a chance they may return to the cell surface.

11. • Toxic action will occur when RTA, aided by
RTB, penetrates the Golgi membrane and is
liberated into the cytosol.
• Once inside the cytosol, the RTA catalyzes the
depurination of the ribosomes, halting protein
synthesis.

13. Sign and Symptom
• Dust of seeds causes:
• Watering of eyes, conjunctivitis
• Rhinitis, acute nasal inflammation
• Headache, pharyngitis, bronchitis
• Dermatitis
• Gastric upset
• Ingestion
• GIT: burning pain in throat, colicky abdominal pain, cramping,
nausea, thirst, vomiting and diarrhea.
• CNS: vertigo, drowsiness, delirium, convulsions coma
• Uremia, jaundice, feeble pulse, shock and dehydration

14. • F.D. : 5- 10 seeds
• F.P. : 3-5 days
• Treatment:
• Gastric lavage
• Emetics and demulscents
• symptomatic

15. PM Appearance:
• Mucosa congested, softened, inflamed, erosions, fragment of
seeds may be present
• Dilatation of heart, pleural Hg, edema of Liver, kidney spleen
and lung
MLI:
• Accidental in children
• Rarely homicidal( The Umbrella Murder Case)
• Bioterrorism

17. Abrus Precatorius Indian Liquorice/ Ratti
• All parts of plants are poisonous esp. seeds.
• Seeds are size of small pea, red in colour, egg shape,
having black spot on one end or may be white or yellow
• active principle:
– Abrin ( toxic protein that disables ribosomes, inhibits protein
synthesis, antigenic properties, hemolytic properties);
– Abrine- an amino acid; haemagglutinin,
– Abralin- a glycoside

18. • Abrus precatorius,
Known commonly as
– Jequirity, Crab's Eye, Rosary Pea, Precatory
Pea or Bean, John Crow Bead, Indian Licorice,
Akar Saga,
– Gidee Gidee Or Jumbie Bead In Trinidad & Tobago,
– Is a slender, perennial climber that twines around trees,
shrubs, and hedges.
– It is a legume with long, pinnate-leafleted leaves.

19. SEEDS
Red and black white

20. PLANT
Plant Necklace

21. MOA
• Binds to endoplasmic reticulum of gut mucosal cells
l/t diarrhoea.
• Mechanism same as Ricinous Communis
• F.D. : 1 seed
• F.P. : 3- 5 days

22. USES
– The seeds of abrus precatorius are much valued in native jewelry for
their bright color.
– There have been cases of death by a finger-prick while boring the
seeds for beadwork.
– These seeds to weigh gold using a measure called a ratti, where 8 ratti
= 1 masha; 12 masha = 1 tola (11.6 grams)
– In siddha medicine, the white variety is used to prepare oil that is
claimed to be an aphrodisiac .
– Ayurveda because it is said to promote/stimulate hair growth.

23. Sign and Symptom
• On ingestion:
• Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea,
• Vertigo, tinnitus, and giddiness,
• Cold clammy skin, irregular pulse, laboured breathing,
convulsions,
• Haemolysis, oliguria and death d/t cardiac failure.
• Injected:
• Resembles viperine snake bite.
• Inflammation, oedema, oozing of fluid.
• Painful swelling and necrosis of muscles and regional lymph node
may occur.

24. TREATMENT
• Gastric lavage
• Suis should be excised
• Anti abrin ( not so effective)
• A mixture of dilute hydrochloric acid and pepsin
• Symptomatic treatment

25. Medicolegal Aspect
– Accidental in children
– Suis made from opium, dhatura, onion and spirit
and used for animal poisoning
– Seeds act as abortificient
– Malingering: conjunctivitis
– Arrow poison

26. Croton tiglium (jamal gota)
• Croton tiglium, known as Purging Croton, is a plant species
in the Euphorbiaceae family.
• C. tiglium is also called Jamaal Gota in Hindi and Urdu.
• Seeds are dark brown, oval, similar to croton but not
mottled and lustureless.
• All parts of plant are poisonous but seeds contain
maximum conc. of Active principle.

27. Plant Seed

28. Uses
• C. tiglium is used in traditional Chinese medicine,
•
• C. tiglium is known as Japaala/or "Jayapala" in Sinhala and
used in Sinhala traditional medical system of Sri Lanka.
• Seeds have a powerful purge.
• Is a valuable remedy in diarrhoea, summer complaint, and
Skin affections, in Homeopathic remedies

30. Toxic effect
• Active principle:
– Crotin (toxalbumin)
– Crotoniside ( glycoside )
Ingestion
– Burning pain in throat and stomach, salivation, colicky abdominal
pain, cramping, nausea, thirst, vomiting and bloody diarrhoea.
– Prostration circulatory and respiratory collapse
– Applied to skin
– Burning redness and vesication

31. • F.D. : 4 crushed seeds or 3 drops of oil
• F.P. :3-6 days
• Treatment:
• GL
• Emetics and demulscents
• Morphine and atropine
• symptomatic

32. PM Appearance:
• Mucosa congested, softened, inflamed, erosions,
fragment of seeds may be present
• Dilatation of heart, pleural Hg, oedema of Liver,
kidney spleen and lung
• MLI:
• Accidental
• Rarely homicidal and suicidal
• Roots and oil as abortificient
• Arrow poison

33. Calotropis gigantea/ calotropis procera
madar or akdo
• Dried root freed from the outer cortical is
called Madar
• Its constituents are
– Madaralbum, a crystalline colourless substance;
– Madarfluavil, an amber coloured viscid substance
– and Mudarine, gelatinizes on heating.

34. • Active Principle:
• Uscharin,
• Calotoxin,
• Calactin,
• Calotropin (Cardiac Glycoside)
• Gigantin (Contained In Serum)

37. Uses:
• Flowers: digestive , carminative, tonic
• Leaves: purgatives, emetic
• Milky juice : vesicant, depilatory and T/T of chronic skin
condition
• Tincture of bark or root: dysentery
• Dried bark: expectorant, emetic and purgative
• Treatment of impotence, asthma, syphilis, gonorrhoea and
elephantiasis

38. Sign and symptoms
• External – irritant vasication, conjunctivitis
• Internal – gastrointestinal and cerebral
poison

39. Medico- legal importance
– Madar juice is commonly used as an abortifacient,
along with lead oxide.
– May be used for homicide , suicide or infanticide(madar
juice mixing it with milk and water)
• Animal poison
• Artificial bruise
• Arrow poison
• The root of calotropis procera is strongly poisonous to cobras and other
poisonous snakes, who cannot stand its smell. Hence, snake charmers carry
it to control freshly caught cobras

40. Plumbago Rosea/ Plumbago Zeylinca
Lal Chitra/ Chitra
• Roots are most poisonous
• Active principle:
• Plumbagin (glycoside) – strong irritant and in
small doses it
• Stimulates contractions of heart,
• Intestine a
• Uterus
Large doses causes respiratory failure.

41. Signs and Symptoms
• Paste causes swelling, redness and inflammation and blister
formation.
• Ingestion of crushed roots in large doses causes:
– Burning pain in mouth, throat and stomach with vomiting
– Intense thirst and diarrhea
– Convulsion
– Uterine contractions leading to abortion
– Collapse and death from cardio respiratory failure.

42. Treatment
• Local application of paste or abortion stick,
– Removed and vaginal douching with warm water and an
antiseptic solution.
• In case of ingestion,
– Stomach wash with plain
– Warm water, demulcents,
– Stimulants, analeptics to combat shock and collapse.

43. Autopsy Findings
• Inflammation and injury in vagina, cervix and uterus
when used as an abortifacient
• Gastrointestinal irritation with congestion of all
internal viscera

44. Medico-legal importance
• Abortion(crushed roots)
• Homicide
• Artificial bruise (paste or milky juice of
crushed stems or leaves)
• Powdered leaves and roots: t/t of leprosy,
scabies and influenza

46. Semecarpus Anacardium or
Marking Nut/ Bhilawan
• Fruit is black, heart shape, having rough projection at
base.
• Fleshy pericarp contains thick, oily, acrid juice which
turns black when mixed with lime and exposed to air
• Active principle:
• Bhilawanol,
• Semicarpol
• Non-volatile corrosiveresidue
• Fatty oils and tannic acids

47. Sign and symptoms
• On external application
– It causes irritation and itching.
– Applied to the scrotum, it causes fever, haematuria, and
painful micturition.
– Painful, black and raised containing acrid serum
– Resemble bruises and may get infected and ulcerate
– Associated with fever, dysuria, haematuria and painful
defecation.
– It is possible to detect poison from the serum from the
blisters.

48. When ingested
• Intense, painful irritation with blister formation locally in the
mouth, tongue and throat
• Gastroenteritis with nausea and vomiting
• Tachycardia
• Quick weak pulse and hypotension
• Pupils are dilated
• Cyanosis and dyspnoea
• Delirium and areflexia
• Collapse, coma and death.
• Fatal dose→5 gm
• Fatal period→ Uncertain, usually 12-24 hours

49. Treatment
• 1. External application:
– Washing with lukewarm water with some antiseptic and application of
antibiotic cream or ointment, if infected
• 2. When ingested:
– Stomach wash with plain water; Demulcent drinks; analgesics for pain
and symptomatic measures to be employed.
• Autopsy Findings
– (i) Fatty degeneration of the liver
– (ii) Blisters in the mouth, throat and even stomach

50. Medico-legal importance
• Medicolegal Aspects
– Accidental poisoning occurs when juice administered for
the treatment of pain or for treating paralysis
– Homicidal poisoning is rare
– It is criminally introduced in to the vagina as a punishment
for infidelity
– Applied on the skin for the false charge of bruise
– It is applied on to the uterus for criminal abortion
– It is applied on to the eyes by malingerers to produce
ophthalmia.

51. Difference
Artificial bruise
• Cause : chemical
• Situation: accessible
• Appearance : blister
formation
• Colour changes: absent
• Ecchymosis: absent
• Content: acrid serum
• Itching present
• Analysis chemical
present
True bruise
• Trauma
• Anywhere
• No blister
• Present
• Present
• Extravasated blood
• Absent
• Absent
• Negative

52. CAPSICUM ANNUM (LAL
MIRCH, CHILLIES)
• Capsicum fruits or seeds are extensively used in India as a
condiment, in preparation of curries, chutneys etc.
• They have pungent acrid odour and taste, which lasts for a
long time; may be used as stomachic and carminative.
• Chilli seed is approximately
– 0.30 cm (1/8") long and 0.20 cm (1/10") wide;
– They resemble very much dhatura seeds
• Active principles: Capsicin and Capsaicin

54. Signs and symptoms
– Burning sensation in mouth
– Profuse salivation, thirst and difficulty in swallowing
– Pain in abdomen and constipation
– Burning sensation around the anus during passing stool
– Nausea and vomiting
– Irritation and vesication on the skin, when applied locally
– Burning, lacrymation and chemosis, when applied to eyes
– Burning, lacrymation, coryza and cough, due to fumes of
burned chillis.
• Fatal Dose→Low toxicity
• Fatal Period→Fatality is unknown.

55. Treatment
– No specific treatment
– Stomach wash with plain water
– Cathartics should be given
– Irrigation of eyes with plenty of cold water or
sterile normal saline and application of eye drops,
in case of eye contamination
– Skin contamination should be treated with plenty
of water and an emollient
– Cream locally.

56. Medicolegal Aspects
• Chilly powder may be thrown into the eyes to rob or steal valuables, money
etc. from the persons by burglars and robbers specially from the bank
counters
• It can also be used to stupefy and disable a person to facilitate commission
of crime
• Chilli powder may be used for the purpose of torture to extract money or to
extort confession of guilt, when it is introduced into the nostrils, eyes,
vagina or urethra or rubbed over the breasts of females, burnt under the nose
or when head is covered by nose-bags containing chilly powder.
• Burning of chilly seeds may at times be done by superstitious people to
scare away devils and ghosts.

57. Ergot
• Dried fungus Claviceps purpurea which grows on
stale grains particularly Rye , Wheat, Barley and
Maize
• Active principle: alkaloids- Ergotoxin, Ergotamine
and Ergometrine
• MoA: Vaso-constricting agent and stimulates smooth
ms contraction of arterioles , intestine and uterus

58. Acute poisoning
– Nausea , vomiting and diarrhoea
– Respiratory distress
– Paraesthesias, muscle cramps
– Dizziness, dilated pupil, bleeding from nose,
unconciousess
– F.D. : 1-2 gm

59. Chronic poisoning
• Convulsive type: twitching, tingling, numbness
and painful contraction of voluntary muscles,
headache, drowsiness, giddiness, formification
and convulsions
• Gangrenous type: resembles Raynaud’s
disease (St. Anthony’s fire), numbness tingling
anaesthesia, may be dry gangrene in fingers
toes, ears, nose, hands

60. Treatment
• Symptomatic
• Emesis
• Nitroprusside or nitroglycerine
• Prazocine, captopril, nifedipine and
cyproheptidine for limb ischaemia
• Phenobarbital

61. MLI:
• Accidental poisoning
• Abortifacient