Poisonous Plants, Venomous Animals & Toxic Organisms | A Deadly Compilation
SciShow・24 minutes read
Daffodils are toxic due to lycorine and mucilage in their stems, affecting other flowers differently; pairing daffodils with irises can extend the latter's lifespan. Giant hogweed's toxic sap causes burns and DNA damage, posing a threat to native plants, requiring professional removal, while tiger keelback snakes use venom to subdue prey and pass on toxins from toads, showcasing the complexity of poison interactions.
Insights
- Daffodils contain lycorine, which is toxic to humans, pets, and other plants, and their sap can reduce the vase life of flowers when placed together, affecting different flowers in unique ways.
- Narciclocine in daffodils has anti-tumor potential, benefits irises by extending their lifespan, and can impede cell growth, showing promise in cancer management, while giant hogweed's toxic sap poses a threat to native plants and human skin, requiring professional handling to prevent harm.
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Recent questions
Are daffodils toxic to humans and pets?
Yes.
How do florists manage daffodils' toxicity?
By placing them in a separate vase.
Can daffodils benefit other plants like irises?
Yes.
What is phytophotodermatitis caused by?
Toxic sap from giant hogweed.
How do tiger keelback snakes use their venom?
To subdue prey.
Related videos
Summary
00:00
"Daffodils and Giant Hogweed: Toxicity Explained"
- Daffodils, while iconic symbols of spring, are also toxic to humans, pets, and other plants due to the chemical lycorine present in them.
- Fresh cut daffodils in a vase with other flowers can significantly reduce the vase life of those flowers due to the toxic sap called mucilage in daffodil stems.
- The toxic sap in daffodil stems affects different flowers in various ways; roses are affected by the sugar in the sap, while tulips are impacted by narciclocine, an alkaloid that inhibits plant growth.
- Florists manage daffodils' toxicity by placing them in a separate vase for a few hours to draw out the sap before replacing the water to wash away most toxic substances.
- Some plants, like irises, benefit from being paired with daffodils as narciclocine in daffodils can prevent the production of aging-related enzymes and proteins in irises, extending their lifespan.
- Narciclocine, found in daffodils, has anti-tumor potential and is being researched for its ability to impede cell growth and survival, potentially aiding in cancer management and treatment.
- Giant hogweed, a plant native to the Caucasus Mountains, produces toxic sap that can cause severe burns and skin damage upon contact, leading to phytophotodermatitis.
- Giant hogweed's sap contains furanocoumarins that, when activated by sunlight, can cause DNA damage, resulting in skin burns, blisters, and long-lasting sensitivity to light.
- Giant hogweed's aggressive growth and toxic nature pose a threat to native plant communities by outcompeting and poisoning neighboring plants, engaging in chemical warfare through soil toxins.
- If encountered, giant hogweed should not be removed without professional assistance, and sightings should be reported to local environmental authorities to prevent its spread and harm.
12:54
"Urushiol Allergy and Tiger Keelback Venom"
- Human CD1a can trigger attacks in response to non-pathogenic substances like urushiol, activating T cells that release interleukin-17 and interleukin-22, causing itching, redness, swelling, and blisters due to the immune system attacking skin cells.
- 10 to 15 percent of people are not affected by urushiol, possibly due to their immune systems not mistaking it for a harmful substance, unlike in allergies where harmless substances are perceived as threats.
- Most people are allergic to urushiol, but some who believe they are immune may develop an allergic reaction upon repeated exposure, with increased exposure heightening the likelihood of sensitivity.
- Sensitivity to urushiol may decrease with age as the immune system weakens, potentially leading to less severe reactions over time.
- Tiger keelback snakes possess both poison and venom, with poisons being ingested or absorbed passively and venoms actively injected, affecting the body differently and requiring distinct treatments.
- Tiger keelbacks use their venom to subdue prey like fish, tadpoles, frogs, and toads, rarely biting humans but causing severe symptoms like hemorrhaging and blood clotting issues when they do.
- Tiger keelbacks acquire their poison from toxic toads they consume, passing it on to their offspring, with the poison causing acute pain, corneal damage, and heart problems if it comes into contact with humans.
- While some snakes may have nuchal glands containing toxins, tiger keelbacks are a prominent example, modifying toxins from toads to enhance potency, potentially making other snake species toxic as well, highlighting the complexity of venom and poison interactions.
