what happens when you touch oleander leaves and flowers?
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Appearance characteristics of the date oleander
Nature and characteristics of the date oleander plant
The oleander plant has a hot and dry nature.
Due to its toxicity, the date oleander should not be taken orally or in the form of other medicinal plants. Rather, it should be consumed under medical supervision. Oral and unknowing ingestion can lead to death.
The processed type of this plant is used in pharmaceutical laboratories for various therapeutic aspects, the medicinal effects of this plant are:
– Residential
– Anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant
– Antibacterial
– anticancer
– Anti-asthma
– Anti-neoplasm
– Antifungal
– Central nervous system depressant
– Antimitotic
– Insecticide, larvicide (insect repellent)
– Muscle stimulant
– and inhibitor of NFKB activation
Warning: Some people even try to use the linden plant topically in the form of a poultice, but since there is not enough information to know whether it is safe to use linden on the skin or not, it is better not to do so either.
what happens when you touch oleander leaves and flowers?
An overview of the characteristics of the date oleander plant
This plant (with the scientific name Nerium oleander), which can be seen in parks, yards, boulevards, or many other places, is a poisonous plant from the Apocynaceae family with the following characteristics:
– Small ornamental shrub with a maximum height of 2 meters
– Has very narrow elliptical leaves, leathery, dark green
– Has bright red-purple, pink, white, or yellow flowers.
– The fruits consist of cylindrical follicles and spindle-shaped seeds of about 0.9-1.2 cm.
– The variety grows in central and southern Iran (tropical regions).
– Other names: Kisheh, Khar Zahraj, Sam al Hamar, Defli, Jar, Haban, Gish, Shabarang, Pehi, Pi Khoreh, Sherang, Jour, Kish, Ward Al Hamam.
Chemical composition of date oleander
The chemical compounds in this plant are:
– Oleandroside, conroside, neriazide, nerigoside, niriomoside, neridi nocide, nerizoside, neri taloside, proseragenin, neri dienone A, cardenolide N1 to N4 and other substances.
The toxic compounds of date oleander
All parts of the oleander plant, from the leaves and flowers to the seeds, roots, sap, and bark, contain glycosides.
– The seeds of this plant have a higher concentration of glycosides and are therefore more toxic and dangerous than other parts. So much so that eating just a few seeds can be fatal.
– This plant is poisonous in both dried and fresh form.
– The smoke produced by burning the leaves of this plant contains cardiotoxic glycosides, which can lead to heart poisoning.
– The cardiotoxic or cardiac glycosides found in oleander include oleandrin, neriin, digitoxigenin, neri antenin, rosagenin, and neri antoside.
– The most important cardiac glycoside in this plant is oleandrin.
– Cyanoglycosides, including neriin and neri antenin, are broken down in the body and release cyanide, which leads to severe poisoning and death even in small doses.
Oleander heart poisonPoisoning with oleander flowers and plants acts like digoxin, which could be a compound that acts directly on the heart.
– By entering the bloodstream, it lowers the heart rate and, depending on the dose received, it progresses until it leads to cardiac arrest. In this case, it will lead to the death of the person.
Side effects and contraindications to the use of data oleander
Complications of oral and random ingestion of date oleander
In the initial stages of taking this plant orally, the following side effects occur, and in the later stages and at higher doses, it leads to cardiac arrest and death:
– Burning sensation in the mouth
– Weakening of the central nervous system
– Confusion
– Mental retardation
– Headaches
Digestive problems (nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, pain and abdominal cramps)
– Spontaneous abortion
– Hypersensitivity and contact dermatitis
– Increased potassium levels in the blood
Ban on the consumption of oleander
Not only the consumption of food (tea made from oleander leaves, seeds, and flowers) but also the consumption of processed species of this plant is not recommended for the following people:
- Children (causes sensitivity and poisoning)
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women (miscarriages or birth defects).
- Heart and lung patients
Warning to parents who have curious children.
In parks and places where this beautiful and flowering plant is planted, keep an eye on your curious children so that they do not pick these flowers or put the flower or even its juice or their contaminated hands in their mouths.
– The components of this plant are not only poisonous but also cause the formation of cyanide in the body.
It is therefore classified as life-threatening. Oral ingestion should be avoided as far as possible.
– Care should also be taken when using it externally and advice should be sought from experts.
Children and herbivorous animals should be protected from this plant so that they do not put it in their mouths.
Final word
All parts of this plant, including the flowers, seeds, leaves and stems, contain a toxic substance that attacks the heart tissue and has a similar effect to digoxin, which can lead to cardiac arrest and arrhythmia and eventually death.
Finally, it should be mentioned that marigolds should never be used as herbal medicine, as they can lead to death. This plant should only be consumed in processed form and with a doctor’s prescription.