BOTANICAL WEAPONS

Dr. Faiz Bux

Dept. of Botany

faiz.bux@kalingauniversity.ac.in

Plant toxins are harmful chemical substances generated by plants. Toxins may be found in a variety of plant components, including the leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruits. Alkaloids, glycosides, and terpenoids are some of the most frequent plant poisons. Frequently, plant toxins are used as a defense against herbivores, and some are used as medicines or drugs.

Botanical poisons are poisons derived from plants. Examples of botanical poisons include ricin, strychnine, nicotine, and hemlock. Ricin is a toxin found in castor beans. It is a powerful poison that can cause nausea, vomiting, and even death if ingested. Strychnine is a poison found in the seeds of the Strychnos nux-vomica tree. It is a powerful neurotoxin that can cause convulsions, paralysis, and death. Nicotine is a poison found in tobacco plants. It is a powerful stimulant that can cause nausea, vomiting, and even death if ingested in large doses. Hemlock is a poison found in the leaves and stems of the Conium maculatum plant. It is a powerful neurotoxin that can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and death.

References:

Kocyigit E, Kocaadam-Bozkurt B, Bozkurt O, Ağagündüz D, Capasso R. Plant Toxic Proteins: Their Biological Activities, Mechanism of Action and Removal Strategies. Toxins (Basel). 2023 May 24;15(6):356. doi: 10.3390/toxins15060356. PMID: 37368657; PMCID: PMC10303728.

Assiri AS. Ricin poisoning causing death after ingestion of herbal medicine. Ann Saudi Med. 2012 May-Jun;32(3):315-7. doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2012.315. PMID: 22588447; PMCID: PMC6081027.

By: Dr. Faiz Bux

       Dept. of Botany

       Kalinga University, Naya Raipur