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Review,Mar/20:3 Poisonous Plants That Antagonise The Effect of GABA in the Brain


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The full title of this UK paper is "Three Poisonous Plants (Oenanthe, Cicuta and Anamirta) That Antagonise the Effect of γ-aminobutyric Acid in Human Brain".

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32539046/

 

Abstract

 

Although we are familiar with common British plants that are poisonous, such as Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade) and Aconitum napellus (monkshood), the two most poisonous plants in the British Flora are Oenanthe crocata (dead man's fingers) and Cicuta virosa (cowbane). In recent years their poisons have been shown to be polyacetylenes (n-C2H2). The plants closely resemble two of the most common plants in the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), celery and parsley. Unwittingly, they are ingested by naive foragers and death occurs very rapidly. The third plant Anamirta derives from South-East Asia and contains a powerful convulsant, picrotoxin, which has been used from time immemorial to catch fish, and more recently to poison Birds of Paradise. All three poisons have been shown to block the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system in the human brain that normally has a powerful inhibitory neuronal action. It has also been established that two groups of sedative drugs, barbiturates and benzodiazepines, exert their inhibitory action by stimulating the GABA system. These drugs are the treatments of choice for poisoning by the three vicious plants.

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The full title of this UK paper is "Three Poisonous Plants (Oenanthe, Cicuta and Anamirta) That Antagonise the Effect of γ-aminobutyric Acid in Human Brain".

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32539046/

 

Abstract

 

Although we are familiar with common British plants that are poisonous, such as Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade) and Aconitum napellus (monkshood), the two most poisonous plants in the British Flora are Oenanthe crocata (dead man's fingers) and Cicuta virosa (cowbane). In recent years their poisons have been shown to be polyacetylenes (n-C2H2). The plants closely resemble two of the most common plants in the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), celery and parsley. Unwittingly, they are ingested by naive foragers and death occurs very rapidly. The third plant Anamirta derives from South-East Asia and contains a powerful convulsant, picrotoxin, which has been used from time immemorial to catch fish, and more recently to poison Birds of Paradise. All three poisons have been shown to block the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system in the human brain that normally has a powerful inhibitory neuronal action. It has also been established that two groups of sedative drugs, barbiturates and benzodiazepines, exert their inhibitory action by stimulating the GABA system. These drugs are the treatments of choice for poisoning by the three vicious plants.

 

Interesting.

I had an accidentally made a large cut - for a week I had yucky symptoms, one including dry eyes and eye blinking/twitching.

 

The next week, I got pink eye and started homeopathic drops with belladonna as the main ingredient. The eye blinking/twitching went away so I thought maybe I stabilized. I did have some nausea and other symptoms but thought it was still from the cut. I continued the drops randomly after pink eye for dryness.

 

The following week, tons of symptoms that are persistent. Huge wave. Eye blinking/twitching turned so bad into almost dyskinesia like symptoms. Chemical anxiety off the charts, etc.

 

I wonder if belladonna is doing some weird, funky things to me? I’m very sensitive but everyone on a BB search seemed to tolerate it well.

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Did you not want to see an eye doctor for a consultation? Personally, I'm very careful about putting anything in my eyes.
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Did you not want to see an eye doctor for a consultation? Personally, I'm very careful about putting anything in my eyes.

 

I did. He told me they were “like water” and fine.

 

I ended up having a massive reaction this morning and have had to dose Benadryl.

 

Will never trust anything in my eyes or on my skin again. Insane reaction! So scary.

 

Thank you for taking time to post this. It helped me so much.

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Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that. I wear contact lenses, and I've learned to be extremely careful about what I put in my eyes. I don't put water in my eyes -- only the solution that's meant especially for use with my contact lenses. If I need drops, I use the ones made for contact lenses wearers. I always wash and dry my hands carefully before using the solution, so I never actually put water in my eyes. I read about bacteria in water that could affect the eyes (in a BBC article) -- a cautionary tale, for sure. It scared the heck out of me!

 

Take good care, and definitely do be cautious with your eyes.

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