DICOTYLEDONS AS POISONOUS PLANTS 65 



by stimulation of the muscular coat of the gall bladder (except in 

 the horse, and small intestines). It is probable that the intestinal 

 secretions are somewhat augmented. The fecal movements after 

 medicinal doses of podophyllin are liquid, often stained with bile, and 

 may be accompanied by some nausea and griping." Eaten by cows, 

 while pasturing in open woodlands, it imparts to the milk of such 

 animals purgative properties, which may be dangerous to infants fed 

 upon such inilk contained in the bottle. Cases of poisoning have been 

 reported occasionally. In the Philadelphia Medical and Surgical 

 Reports (XIX: 308), a fatal case is recorded in which the evidence 

 is perfectly clear that poisoning resulted from continual large doses 

 administered by an ignorant and careless physician. The poisonous 

 symptoms were all referable to the intestines as enteritis. Inhalation of 

 the dust of the dried rhizome and administration of podophyllin in }/ to 

 3^ grain doses cause inflammation of the eyes, soreness and pustulation of 

 the nose; salivation and white-coated tongue; extreme nausea, followed by 

 vomiting; severe pains in the transverse colon and abdomen, followed by 

 a call to stool; thin, offensive, copious stools; weak pulse, prostration, 

 drowsiness, and cold extremities." 



Active Properties. The active properties of the plant appear to reside 

 in the resinous substance podophyllin. This contains podophyllotoxin 

 CuHi 4 O 2 4- 2H 2 O and picropodophyllin, CnH 8 O 2 + H 2 O with a bitter 

 taste, berberin C 2 oHi 7 NO4 (feebly toxic to many) and saponin. 



Celandine (Chelidonium majus). The celandine is a member of the 

 poppy family (PAPAVERACE.E) introduced from Europe into America 

 and in some localities thoroughly naturalized. Its leaves are thin once 

 to twice pinnatifid and glaucous beneath. When the rootstock, stem and 

 leaves are bruised, a yellow juice or later exudes. The flowers are yellow 

 with two sepals, four petals and numerous stamens. The ovary is 

 superior, one-celled with two parietal placentae. It has long been used 

 as a drug plant having emetic and purgative properties and is a danger- 

 ous poison. There are no cases on record of domestic animals being killed 

 by eating it, as it has an unpleasant odor. 



Properties. The plant contains a bitter alkaloid chelidonin (C 2 oHi 9 NO 6 

 + H 2 o) and an additional poisonous alkaloid chelerythrin (C-uHnNO^ 

 related to sanguinarin and protopin (C 20 Hi 7 NO 5 ). Cornevin states that 

 the poison is not removed by drying the plant, but Pott (1907) believes 

 that it becomes harmless to animals on desiccation. 



