Stay away from these 7 toxic plants: Reasons

For many years, the beautifully pink 'arali' flower was a regular part of 'prasadams' in Kerala temples. Many on social media also say how they have consumed it worry-free for years. However, following the death of a few people, it was revealed that the flower, which was also a regular part of Onam pookkalam, is poisonous in every part of its plant. Similarly, there are many interesting herbs and plants around us that look fascinating, but are quite toxic to handle. Here are a few you should know about. 

'Aavanakku' or castor plant
With shiny red-purple leaves and spiky seed pods, castor plants are grown as an ornamental herb in many places. However, their seeds contain a toxic substance called ricin that could disrupt the protein production in the cells and lead to the complete failure of organs. Meanwhile, the castor oil commonly used in our households is not poisonous because it is properly processed. But unprocessed castor seeds are poisonous, and ricin, even in small amounts, could be dangerous. 

'Othalanga' or cerbera odollam 
Native to the coastal regions of India and Southeast Asia, the plant produces fruits that resemble small mangoes. Although Cerbera odollam plants are widely grown to prevent soil erosion, they contain a highly toxic compound called cerberin. This toxic substance can swiftly damage heart function. It is quite baffling that the poison cannot be detected even in a postmortem, making it an extremely dangerous plant. According to various scientific studies, Cerbera odollam is responsible for almost 50 per cent of deaths due to plant poisoning in Kerala and constitutes ten per cent of overall poisoning cases. 

Bella dona
Often called the deadly nightshade, bella dona has attractive, shiny black berries. The plant got its name, Bella dona, meaning "beautiful woman," as women in Italy and elsewhere used its extract to dilate their pupils, believing it enhanced the beauty of their eyes. The plant contains high doses of dangerous toxic substances like atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine. High doses of these could damage the nervous system and cause delusions, seizures and even death. Kids accidentally ingesting these berries could be dangerous. 

'Kunni kuru' or Abrus precatorius 
Kunni kuru, which stands out for its bright red colour and black spots, is traditionally used to make ornaments. However, these tiny seeds contain a protein called abrin, which is similar to ricin. Chewing and ingesting a single seed could claim your life. Poison spreading in the blood through tiny scratches on the skin while making a kunni kuru chain may lead to accidental poisoning. 

'Ummam' or Devil’s trumpet
Devil’s trumpet or ummam is a plant that is commonly seen on the roadsides or deserted lands here. Although its big white flowers are attractive, their chemical components are quite dangerous. Devil’s trumpet contains alkaloids like atropine and scopolamine that lead to delusion, uncontrolled heartbeats and blurry vision. Even a small amount contains enough poison to cause severe mental and physical problems.

Monkshood
Monkshood is a popular ornamental flower with dramatic hood-shaped blooms in attractive violet colour. Native to the hilly regions in Europe and Asia, monkshoods stand out for their eye-catching beauty. However, these blooms contain a strong cardio–neurotoxin called aconitine that could be dangerous for your nervous system. It could cause vomiting, nausea, dizziness, seizures, and variations in heart rate. Deaths due to the poison in this plant are generally caused by a heart or lung stroke. In ancient times, this neurotoxin was used to coat the arrowheads by soldiers to kill their enemies in one stroke. Touching monkshood would numb your skin and may even cause discomfort. 

'Arali' or oleander
Oleander is a common ornamental plant widely seen in our backyards. Although oleander flowers are beautiful, they are often termed as one of the most poisonous plants in the world. Cardiac glycosides are present in almost all parts of the plant, including the leaves, flowers and stem. If ingested, it could cause uncontrolled heartbeats, severe vomiting and even death. It is even dangerous to inhale the smoke while burning oleander plants. There have been reports of humans getting poisoned after using oleander sticks to cook dishes like hot dogs.