Man shares the planet with numerous animals and plants. The latter are vital: they produce oxygen. However, there is a huge danger behind the beauty and spectacular appearance of some plants.
Poisonous greens
Acquaintance with representatives of the toxicodendron family turns into unpleasant consequences for humans. The most famous and common of these are poison oak and ivy. Most often, these plants can be found in North America and Asian countries. The volatile toxin secreted by toxicodendrons causes severe allergies that affect a huge number of people every year.
The most common hogweed, which grows freely in temperate latitudes, is very cunning and cunning. Certain plant species produce poisonous sap, which at first does not cause any consequences. But if sunlight hits the affected area of the skin, a chemical reaction instantly begins, which leads to severe burns.
A modest-looking raven eye is also a poisonous plant. The neat, low plant has wide leaves, and a black and blue berry crowns its top. For a person, the whole raven eye is dangerous, but the rhizome and berry are especially toxic. With close acquaintance with the plant, vomiting, nausea, headache, convulsions occur. If the intoxication of the body is strong, paralysis of the respiratory tract begins and, as a result, death.
The poison of the European plant cicuta (the second name is "poisonous milestones") acts in a similar way. The identification problem lies in its similarity to the edible angelica: a tall stem, elongated leaves and "umbrellas" of several white flowers. The rhizome is especially dangerous. The paralytic poison cicutoxin causes respiratory arrest.
The most poisonous plant on the planet is called simply: castor oil plant. Distribution places - subtropics and tropics. A dangerous substance is found in the fruit of the castor oil plant and is called ricin. For the death of an adult, only 0.25 g taken internally is enough. However, castor bean leaves and stems are used for human health benefits: castor oil is produced from them.
Beautiful and dangerous
Beautiful exotic flowers are especially dangerous to humans. If you can accidentally come across a simple green plant, pale pink, white, purple and other buds are asked to breathe their aroma. And small children are not averse to trying delicate petals on their teeth. Such reckless behavior with some colors can be fatal.
Belladonna, which is widespread in Western countries, has a strong poisonous effect. The delicate purple flower contains a high concentration of deadly alkaloids - tropanes. The use of the plant is fraught with hallucinations, seizures, blockage of the nervous system, and respiratory arrest. The most common victims of belladonna are children.
The quivering flowers of the widespread rhododendron are not as harmless as they seem at first glance. The poisonous properties of the plant have been known since ancient times, Xenophon mentioned them. The cute pink and white flowers contain andromedotoxin, a paralytic poison that can lead to death. It is worth noting that azaleas are just as dangerous.
A close friendship should not be carried on with the bright colors of oleander. This plant has been used for several centuries in the southern regions of India as a universal weapon. Moreover, it is dangerous as the use of oleander inside (inhibits the nervous, cardiovascular and digestive systems), and the ingress of its juice on the skin and mucous membranes (irritation, inflammation).
However, the most poisonous flower in the world is the crocus. The properties of the substance colchicine are perfectly described by the well-known saying: "There is medicine in a spoon, poison in a barrel."Correct dosages are actively used for medical purposes (for gouty arthritis), but an overdose dramatically lowers blood pressure, which leads to cardiac arrest. This substance still has no antidote.
