Greater celandine
General poisoning notes:
Greater celandine
(Chelidonium majus) is a perennial naturalized herb found in parts of
eastern Canada. This plant is suspected in the death of a four-year old boy
(Koopman 1937). There are records of skin irritation and soreness after the
latex is applied to the skin, a practice that was followed in Europe to help
minor skin injuries (Cooper and Johnson 1984). Cattle were poisoned and died in
Britain after ingesting the ripe fruit of this plant (Reeks 1903); 500 g of the
plant can cause toxic effects in horses or cattle (Frohne and Pfander 1983).
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Chelidonium majus L.
Vernacular
name(s): greater celandine
Scientific family
name: Papaveraceae
Vernacular family
name: poppy
Geographic Information
New Brunswick, Ontario,
Prince Edward Island, Quebec
Notes on Poisonous plant parts:
The entire plant
is considered poisonous. The plant contains bright yellow latex that turns
reddish after exposure to air. The plant is considered unpalatable because of
its acrid taste and pungent, fetid smell (Frohne and Pfander 1983, Cooper and
Johnson 1984).
Toxic parts:
Latex
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
Chelidonine is the
major alkaloid found in greater celandine. At least 20 other alkaloids have
been found in the plant. The concentration of these alkaloids varies in various
plant organs, depending on the stage of growth (Frohne and Pfander 1983).
Toxic plant chemicals:
Chelidonine
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an
animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993)
contained no detailed explanation.
Cattle
General symptoms of
poisoning:
Convulsions,
death, drowsiness, gait, staggering, salivation.
Notes on poisoning:
One case of cattle
poisoning is attributed to this plant. The cattle became drowsy, had a
staggering gait, salivated, and some cows died. Calves that suckled the
poisoned cows were unaffected. Postmortem examination revealed gastrointestinal
irritation (Reeks 1903).
Humans
General symptoms of
poisoning:
Coma,
death, diarrhea, drowsiness, headache.
Notes on poisoning:
The case of a
4-year-old boy who sickened and died is cited in the literature. Postmortem
examination showed severe irritation of the large intestine. The cause of death
was suspected to be greater celandine (Koopman 1937).
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