Ground-cherry
General poisoning notes:
Ground-cherry (Physalis
peruviana) is an ornamental herb that is grown for its ripe fruits, which
are used for making preserves. The immature fruits contain sufficient solanine
to cause gastroenteritis and diarrhea if ingested. Children should be
discouraged from eating the fruits (Lampe and McCann 1985).
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Physalis peruviana L.
Vernacular
name(s): ground-cherry
Scientific family
name: Solanaceae
Vernacular family
name: nightshade
Geographic Information
Plant or plant
parts used in or around the home.
Toxic parts:
Immature fruit
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
Solanine, a bitter
glycoalkaloid, is found in the unripened berries (Lampe and McCann 1985).
Toxic plant chemicals:
solanine
Chemical
diagram(s) are courtesy of Ruth McDiarmid, Biochemistry Technician, Kamloops
Range Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kamploops, British Columbia,
Canada.
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an
animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993)
contained no detailed explanation.
Humans
General symptoms of
poisoning:
Diarrhea,
fever, gastroenteritis
Notes on poisoning:
Symptoms of
ingestion include gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and fever, with a scratchy feeling
in the throat a few hours after ingestion. Children are more susceptible to
poisoning than adults (Lampe and McCann 1985).
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