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II. Poisonous Plants

II. Poisonous Plants. Acute vs. chronic toxicity a) internal poisons b) allergens c) cell modifiers: mutagens, teratogens and lectins. a. Internal Poisons. Alkaloids Glycosides Oxalates Resins. Alkaloids. N-containing heterogenous group of medicinal, toxic, and psychoactive compounds

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II. Poisonous Plants

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  1. II. Poisonous Plants • Acute vs. chronic toxicity • a) internal poisons • b) allergens • c) cell modifiers: mutagens, teratogens and lectins

  2. a. Internal Poisons • Alkaloids • Glycosides • Oxalates • Resins

  3. Alkaloids • N-containing heterogenous group of medicinal, toxic, and psychoactive compounds • Found in high concentrations in the Apocynaceae, Berberidaceae, Fabaceae, Papaveracea, Ranunculaceae, Rubiaceae, and Solanaceae • Not found in the Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, and the Gymnosperms

  4. Glycosides • combination of sugar(s) or glycone and another compound (aglycone) • glucose is the most common sugar • toxicity is associated with aglycone moiety

  5. Cynogenic glycosides • Hydrolized to HCN and sugar • Amygdalin is found in seeds of apples, pears, apricot, bitter almonds, wild and domestic cherries, peaches and plums. • HCN blocks the action of cytochrome oxidase in respiration causing cellular asphyxiation

  6. Anthraquinone glycosides • Hydrolysis of anthraquinones • Found in aloe and rhubarb

  7. Cardioactive glycosides • Aglycones are steroidal • Act on the heart (paralysis) • Found in Digitalis (foxglove) and Antirrhinum (snapdragon)

  8. Saponin glycosides • Aglycone forms a steroid or triterpene that form colloidal dispersions in water • Irritates mucous membranes and destroys blood cells. • Found in yams, ginseng, licorice, beech, poke, alfalfa, and english ivy

  9. Coumarin glycosides • Aglycone is a benzopyranone • Causes internal bleeding and dermatitis • Not common • Found in Artemesia species (sagebrush)

  10. Oxalates • organic acid that forms in crystals in vacuole • Reach dangerous levels in oxalis, rhubarb, dock and purslane

  11. Resins • Amorphous products of complex nature. • Insoluble in water and do not contain N • Mixture of oils, gums and sugars • Found in water hemlock, milkweed, rhododendron and azaleas

  12. Allergens • Pollen can cause: • Anaphylatic shock • Allergenic rhinitis (hayfever) • Asthma • Dermatitis • Photodermatitis

  13. Mutagens can cause: • Replacement of nucleotide in DNA • Loss of addition of nucleotide causing more serious mutagenesis • Nondisjunction of chromosomes (extra chromosomes) • Polyploidy (extra set of chromosomes)

  14. Teratogens • Effects on somatic cells of growing embryos usually resulting in malformed organs

  15. Lectins • Can be highly toxic • Proteins with carbohydrate chains attached • Some examples are ricin (castor bean), curcin and abrin (rosary pea) • ricin inhibits protein synthesis by inactivating ribosomes • Some lectins can stimulate cell proliferation

  16. Tannins • bitter tasting polyphenols that bind and precipitate proteins

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