Content
- Laburnum: Nice, but poisonous
- The toxicity of the golden rain
- The effects of the poison
- Which doses are dangerous?
- activities
The beautiful golden rain is unfortunately poisonous
Laburnum: Nice, but poisonous
The golden rain is known for its decorative, golden yellow and wonderfully fragrant grape blossoms - and therefore also a very popular garden and park plant. Behind its beauty hides a not to be despised toxicity.
The toxicity of the golden rain
As beautiful and lovely as the golden rain makes itself as a foliage or avenue plant - at Laburnum almost all plant parts are poisonous. And that applies to all three species - the common laburnum, the noble laburnum and the alpine laburnum. In the leaves, the flowers and especially in the bean-shaped seed fruits of the toxin cytosine is included. The Alpine Laburnum also contains especially in the leaves nor the toxin ammodendrine.
Notice:
The effects of the poison
Cytisine is a quinolizidine alkaloid that acts like nicotine in the brain. In fact, the leaves of the golden rain were smoked in wartime as a tobacco substitute. But if the parts of the plant are ingested directly, that is, chewed and swallowed, it does not lead to a harmless state of intoxication, but to more serious symptoms of intoxication.
Burning and itching in the mouth are first signs, followed by heavy thirst and nausea with vomiting. Even sweats and headaches are concomitant. In severe poisoning muscle spasms and paralysis are added - in the worst case, the poisoning leads to death.
Which doses are dangerous?
In the case of children, the most toxic part of the plant, the seed, is theoretically already small enough to cause fatal poisoning. Even the consumption of about 15 to 20 seeds, or 4 to 5 seed pods can end in them deadly. In adults, the lethal dose is about 23 seed pods. The flowers are not quite as poisonous, but even here are enough 12 pieces to cause symptoms of intoxication.
activities
Young children should never play unsupervised near golden rain. Fortunately, when plant parts have been ingested, vomiting often avoids the worst, which is why deaths are rare. In any case, you should call the ambulance immediately.