Dutchman's-breeches
General poisoning notes:
Dutchman''s-breeches
(Dicentra cucullaria) is a native herb found in the rich woodlands of
eastern Canada. The plant has been shown to cause poisoning when fed to cattle
under experimental conditions. The underground tubers caused more severe
symptoms. When plant tubers were fed at 2 kg/100 kg of animal weight, various
symptoms occurred, including trembling and convulsions (Black et al. 1923).
Poisoning may occur during the spring, when the ground is soft and the tubers
might be dug up.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Dicentra cucullaria (L.)
Bernh.
Vernacular
name(s): Dutchman's-breeches
Scientific family
name: Fumariaceae
Vernacular family
name: frumitory
Geographic Information
New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec
Notes on Poisonous plant parts:
When the plant was
fed to cattle during experiments the underground tubers caused more symptoms
than the aboveground portion of the plant (Black et al. 1923).
Toxic parts:
Leaves, tubers
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
Several
isoquinoline alkaloids have been found in Dicentra species, including
aporphine and protopine. The degree of toxicity of the various alkaloids is not
known (Black et al. 1923). Protopine is also found in the opium poppy (Papaver
somniferum).
Toxic plant chemicals:
Aporphine, protopine.
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:
Breathing,
labored, convulsions, mouth, frothing of, nervousness, opisthotonos, trembling.
Notes on poisoning:
Experimental
feeding of cattle caused the animals to become nervous, run back and forth,
violently eject stomach contents, tremble, convulse, and fall down with the
legs extended and rigid. The cattle were able to rise again and recover after a
while (Black et al. 1923).
0 Comment:
Post a Comment