Buckwheat
General poisoning notes:
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum
esculentum) is cultivated in Canada as a crop for fodder and for the
production of buckwheat honey. Ingesting entire plants, dried or fresh, has
caused photosensitization in animals with exposed or light-colored skin
including cattle, goats, sheep, swine, and turkeys. Exposure to the sun is
necessary. This plant is considered to be a primary photosensitizer, although
jaundice has occurred concurrently, which indicates secondary involvement of
the liver (Cooper and Johnson 1984, Cheeke and Schull 1985). Buckwheat has been
found to be an effective replacement for wheat or barley in rations for swine
(Anderson and Bowland 1981). Closely related tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum
tataricum L.) is also a satisfactory grain replacement in ruminant animals
(Nicholson et al. 1976).
Humans
can be sensitized to dust from buckwheat flour after long exposure. Asthma is
the usual response, although rare individuals may manifest food allergy
reactions after ingesting food products containing buckwheat flour. Although to
date there have been no peer-reviewed scientific studies which document
photosensitization in humans, there have been anecdotal reports of symptoms
occuring in humans after the consumption of large quantities of raw buckwheat
greens (i.e. the leaves and/or flowers) for their nutritional and antioxidant
properties.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Fagopyrum esculentum Moench
Vernacular
name(s): buckwheat
Scientific family
name: Polygonaceae
Vernacular family
name: knotweed
Geographic Information
Plant or plant
parts used in or around the home.
Notes on Poisonous plant parts:
Little fagopyrin
occurs in the seeds, but ingesting the entire plant, either green or dried, can
cause serious photosensitization in livestock (Johnson 1989).
Toxic parts:
All parts, leaves,
seeds, stems.
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
Fagopyrin,
probably a derivative of naphthodianthrone, is closely related to hypericin,
which is found in St. John''s-wort (Hypericum perforatum). The
absorption spectra of these chemicals is in the range of 540-610 nm (Johnson
1983).
Toxic plant chemicals:
fagopyrin
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:
Recumbency,
skin, peeling of, thirsty, weakness
Goats
General symptoms of
poisoning:
Blistering,
skin, peeling of
Humans
Sheep
General symptoms of
poisoning:
Blistering,
paralysis, recumbency, skin, peeling of
Swine
General symptoms of
poisoning:
Blistering,
skin, peeling of
Turkeys
General symptoms of
poisoning:
Incoordination,
skin, peeling of
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