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How to tell someone they are toxic


Toxic Person: Signs to Look For

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Medically Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on December 02, 2020

In this Article

  • What Is a Toxic Person?
  • Signs of a Toxic Person
  • Dealing With Toxic People

What Is a Toxic Person?

If you know someone who’s difficult and causes a lot of conflict in your life, you may be dealing with a toxic person. These people can create lots of stress and unpleasantness for you and others, not to mention emotional or even physical pain. 

A toxic person is anyone whose behavior adds negativity and upset to your life. Many times, people who are toxic are dealing with their own stresses and traumas. To do this, they act in ways that don’t present them in the best light and usually upset others along the way.

Toxicity in people isn’t considered a mental disorder. But there could be underlying mental problems that cause someone to act in toxic ways, including a personality disorder.

Here are some warning signs to watch out for if you think you’re dealing with a toxic person:

  • You feel like you’re being manipulated into something you don’t want to do.
  • You’re constantly confused by the person’s behavior. 
  • You feel like you deserve an apology that never comes.
  • You always have to defend yourself to this person.
  • You never feel fully comfortable around them.
  • You continually feel bad about yourself in their presence.

If you’ve experienced these feelings around someone, they may be toxic. If you constantly have such emotions, you may want to change the relationship or stop the relationship entirely. 

Signs of a Toxic Person

Just like there are signs you’re around a toxic person because of how the person makes you feel, there are signs seen in the person themselves that highlight their toxicity.

The most common signs include:

Inconsistency

Part of being human is having ups and downs, good times, and bad. But a toxic person is almost never consistent. Their behavior is erratic. They don’t follow through on their commitments or promises. You never know what they’re going to do next. Such inconsistency is very hard when you’re trying to be there for someone. They can be elated with you one minute, writing you off the next. 

They Always Need Your Attention

Have you noticed that the person always needs something from you? Whether it’s constant phone calls, texts, or showing up at your door, they always need emotional support. And they’re probably not being supportive to you in return. They take all that you have without giving much back. They have a heightened level of self-interest, a need to showcase their own greatness to receive affirmation. This can be associated with narcissistic personality disorder.

There Is Always Drama

Ever notice how drama seems to follow some people? It’s likely not a coincidence. Toxic people thrive in dramatic situations. They inflame emotions and create conflict. They love stirring the pot to see what happens. People are often toxic because they’re not interested in being stable and healthy in relationships.

They Don’t Respect Your Boundaries

Another sign of a toxic person is no boundaries. If you’ve been clear with someone time and again about your needs, and they just can’t help themselves but to disrespect you, they are toxic. Healthy relationships are based on trust and the ability to respect boundaries. Toxic people just can’t do that.

They Manipulate Others for What They Want

Do you feel taken advantage of? Manipulated? Toxic people love to manipulate those around them to get what they want. This means lying, bending the truth, exaggerating, or leaving out information so that you take a certain action or have a certain opinion of them. They’ll do whatever it takes, even if it means hurting people.

They Abuse Substances

Another toxic behavior is the abuse of substances, like drugs and alcohol. These behaviors become toxic when the person is continually harming other people, not to mention themselves.

Dealing With Toxic People

Now that you know the signs of a toxic person, both in the way you feel and how they act, you still may not know what to do about it. Here are a few strategies to try:

Confront Them

As soon as you notice toxic behaviors, confront the person. Call them out on any lies or inconsistencies. Tell them you don’t appreciate how they behave. This shows them that you’re paying attention — and you’re giving them a chance to explain themselves or apologize. 

Set Stricter Boundaries

If you must have a toxic person in your life, try to set stricter boundaries. For example, if someone is abusing substances and it causes them to harm you or others, let them know you won’t see them unless they’re sober. Make it clear you won’t tolerate their overly dramatic behavior or spreading rumors about people. Limit the time you spend with them until they can change.

Cut Them Out of Your Life

If the above strategies don’t work and cause even more pain, abuse, or dishonesty, it’s time to let the toxic person go. Sometimes there’s nothing to do but stand up for yourself and move on.

Toxic People: 12 Things They Do and How to Deal with Them

by Karen Young

13,558,240

VIEWS

We have all had toxic people dust us with their poison. Sometimes it’s more like a drenching. Difficult people are drawn to the reasonable ones and all of us have likely had (or have) at least one person in our lives who have us bending around ourselves like barbed wire in endless attempts to please them – only to never really get there.

Their damage lies in their subtlety and the way they can engender that classic response, ‘It’s not them, it’s me.’ They can have you questioning your ‘over-reactiveness’, your ‘oversensitivity’, your ‘tendency to misinterpret’.  If you’re the one who’s continually hurt, or the one who is constantly adjusting your own behaviour to avoid being hurt, then chances are that it’s not you and it’s very much them.

Being able to spot their harmful behaviour is the first step to minimising their impact. You might not be able to change what they do, but you can change what you do with it, and any idea that toxic somebody in your life might have that they can get away with it.

There are plenty of things toxic people do to manipulate people and situations to their advantage. Here are 12 of them. Knowing them will help you to avoid falling under the influence:

  1. They’ll keep you guessing about which version of them you’re getting.

    They’ll be completely lovely one day and the next you’ll be wondering what you’ve done to upset them. There often isn’t anything obvious that will explain the change of attitude – you just know something isn’t right. They might be prickly, sad, cold or cranky and when you ask if there’s something wrong, the answer will likely be ‘nothing’ – but they’ll give you just enough  to let you know that there’s something. The ‘just enough’ might be a heaving sigh, a raised eyebrow, a cold shoulder. When this happens, you might find yourself making excuses for them or doing everything you can to make them happy. See why it works for them?

    Stop trying to please them. Toxic people figured out a long time ago that decent people will go to extraordinary lengths to keep the people they care about happy. If your attempts to please aren’t working or aren’t lasting for very long, maybe it’s time to stop. Walk away and come back when the mood has shifted. You are not responsible for anybody else’s feelings. If you have done something unknowingly to hurt somebody, ask, talk about it and if need be, apologise. At any rate, you shouldn’t have to guess.

  1. They’ll manipulate.

    If you feel as though you’re the only one contributing to the relationship, you’re probably right. Toxic people have a way of sending out the vibe that you owe them something. They also have a way of taking from you or doing something that hurts you, then maintaining they were doing it all for you. This is particularly common in workplaces or relationships where the balance of power is out. ‘I’ve left that six months’ worth of filing for you. I thought you’d appreciate the experience and the opportunity to learn your way around the filing cabinets.’ Or, ‘I’m having a dinner party. Why don’t you bring dinner. For 10. It’ll give you a chance to show off those kitchen skills. K?’

    You don’t owe anybody anything. If it doesn’t feel like a favour, it’s not.

  1. They won’t own their feelings.

    Rather than owning their own feelings, they’ll act as though the feelings are yours. It’s called projection, as in projecting their feelings and thoughts onto you. For example, someone who is angry but won’t take responsibility for it might accuse you of being angry with them. It might be as subtle as, ‘Are you okay with me?’ or a bit more pointed, ‘Why are you angry at me,’ or, ‘You’ve been in a bad mood all day.’

    You’ll find yourself justifying and defending and often this will go around in circles – because it’s not about you. Be really clear on what’s yours and what’s theirs. If you feel as though you’re defending yourself too many times against accusations or questions that don’t fit, you might be being projected on to. You don’t have to explain, justify or defend yourself or deal with a misfired accusation. Remember that.

  1. They’ll make you prove yourself to them.

    They’ll regularly put you in a position where you have to choose between them and something else – and you’ll always feel obliged to choose them. Toxic people will wait until you have a commitment, then they’ll unfold the drama.  ‘If you really cared about me you’d skip your exercise class and spend time with me.’  The problem with this is that enough will never be enough. Few things are fatal – unless it’s life or death, chances are it can wait.

    [irp posts=”1195″ name=”Toxic People: 16 Practical, Powerful Ways to Deal With Them”]

  2. They never apologise. 

    They’ll lie before they ever apologise, so there’s no point arguing. They’ll twist the story, change the way it happened and retell it so convincingly that they’ll believe their own nonsense.

    People don’t have to apologise to be wrong. And you don’t need an apology to move forward. Just move forward – without them. Don’t surrender your truth but don’t keep the argument going. There’s just no point. Some people want to be right more than they want to be happy and you have better things to do than to provide fodder for the right-fighters.

  1. They’ll be there in a crisis but they’ll never ever share your joy.

    They’ll find reasons your good news isn’t great news. The classics: About a promotion – ‘The money isn’t that great for the amount of work you’ll be doing.’ About a holiday at the beach – ‘Well it’s going to be very hot. Are you sure you want to go?’ About being made Queen of the Universe – ‘Well the Universe isn’t that big you know and I’m pretty sure you won’t get tea breaks.’ Get the idea? Don’t let them dampen you or shrink you down to their size. You don’t need their approval anyway – or anyone else’s for that matter.

  2. They’ll leave a conversation unfinished – and then they’ll go offline.

    They won’t pick up their phone. They won’t answer texts or emails. And in between rounds of their voicemail message, you might find yourself playing the conversation or argument over and over in your head, guessing about the status of the relationship, wondering what you’ve done to upset them, or whether they’re dead, alive or just ignoring you – which can sometimes all feel the same. People who care about you won’t let you go on feeling rubbish without attempting to sort it out. That doesn’t mean you’ll sort it out of course, but at least they’ll try. Take it as a sign of their investment in the relationship if they leave you ‘out there’ for lengthy sessions.

  3. They’ll use non-toxic words with a toxic tone.

    The message might be innocent enough but the tone conveys so much more. Something like, ‘What did you do today?’ can mean different things depending on the way it’s said. It could mean anything from ‘So I bet you did nothing – as usual,’ to ‘I’m sure your day was better than mine. Mine was awful. Just awful. And you didn’t even notice enough to ask.’ When you question the tone, they’ll come back with, ‘All I said was what did you do today,’ which is true, kind of, not really.

  4. They’ll bring irrelevant detail into a conversation.

    When you’re trying to resolve something important to you, toxic people will bring in irrelevant detail from five arguments ago. The problem with this is that before you know it, you’re arguing about something you did six months ago, still defending yourself, rather than dealing with the issue at hand. Somehow, it just always seems to end up about what you’ve done to them.

  5. They’ll make it about the way you’re talking, rather than what you’re talking about.

    You might be trying to resolve an issue or get clarification and before you know it, the conversation/ argument has moved away from the issue that was important to you and on to the manner in which you talked about it – whether there is any issue with your manner or not. You’ll find yourself defending your tone, your gestures, your choice of words or the way your belly moves when you breathe – it doesn’t even need to make sense. Meanwhile, your initial need is well gone on the pile of unfinished conversations that seems to grow bigger by the day.

    [irp posts=”1762″ name=”When Someone You Love is Toxic: How to Let Go of Toxic People, Without Guilt”]

  6. They exaggerate.

    ‘You always …’ ‘You never …’ It’s hard to defend yourself against this form of manipulation. Toxic people have a way of drawing on the one time you didn’t or the one time you did as evidence of your shortcomings. Don’t buy into the argument. You won’t win. And you don’t need to.

  7. They are judgemental.

    We all get it wrong sometimes but toxic people will make sure you know it. They’ll judge you and take a swipe at your self-esteem suggesting that you’re less than because you made a mistake. We’re all allowed to get it wrong now and then, but unless we’ve done something that affects them nobody has the right to stand in judgement.

Knowing the favourite go-to’s for toxic people will sharpen your radar, making the manipulations easier to spot and easier to name. More importantly, if you know the characteristic signs of a toxic person, you’ll have a better chance of catching yourself before you tie yourself in double knots trying to please them.

Some people can’t be pleased and some people won’t be good for you – and many times that will have nothing to do with you. You can always say no to unnecessary crazy. Be confident and own your own faults, your quirks and the things that make you shine. You don’t need anyone’s approval but remember if someone is working hard to manipulate, it’s probably because they need yours. You don’t always have to give it but if you do, don’t let the cost be too high.

What dangerous plants are found in central Russia

Spotted hemlock

On the banks of rivers and in other humid places there are umbrellas with purple-speckled stems, leaves similar to parsley or carrots, and an unpleasant "mouse" smell. This is one of the most dangerous plants in central Russia! Spotted hemlock and related species contain a powerful poison that causes nausea, muscle weakness, convulsions, respiratory arrest and death.

Spotted hemlock

© Alexei Durasov/TASS

In ancient Greece, hemlock extract was given to those sentenced to death. It is believed that the philosopher Socrates, who was sentenced for blasphemy and corrupting youth, also drank it. Later, hemlock began to be used in folk medicine, but it is because of this that poisoning most often occurs.

All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially seeds and roots. Sometimes, out of ignorance, children eat it. But there is also a risk if the juice of the plant just got on the skin, especially if you put food in your mouth without washing your hands. In case of poisoning, you should immediately call an ambulance, wash your stomach, take activated charcoal.

Poisonous milestone

Hemlock vaguely resembles poisonous milestone, or hemlock. Cicuta is also an umbrella plant that loves moisture. It can be distinguished by a stem without purple spots and a massive root with cavities and partitions inside. This root smells good and attracts the boys who eat it.

Poisonous milestone

© Alexey Durasov/TASS

Under no circumstances should this be done: the hemlock root is deadly poisonous. For a long time it was believed that the poison for Socrates was prepared from this plant, and not hemlock, but the description of the symptoms did not fit. With hemlock poisoning, muscle weakness and respiratory arrest come to the fore, and in the case of hemlock, seizures like epileptic seizures. However, nausea, diarrhea and many other symptoms are the same.

The hemlock root is especially dangerous, but other parts of the plant are also poisonous. If you eat the leaves or the stem, then death probably will not occur, but you should never risk it anyway. If you suspect poisoning, you should immediately consult a doctor: maintenance therapy in most cases helps to stay alive.

Sosnowski's hogweed

Another dangerous umbrella plant is Sosnowski's hogweed, which cannot be confused with anything because of its huge size. Fleshy long stems with spreading leaves attracted the attention of livestock breeders: cow parsnip was brought from the Caucasus and began to be grown in the middle lane to feed cows. True, it turned out that because of such a diet, milk acquires a strange and rather unpleasant taste.

Sosnovsky's hogweed

© Aleksey Durasov/TASS

In agriculture, hogweed was abandoned, but it grew along roadsides and fields and turned into a real scourge. The problem is that the villi on its surface contain substances that make the skin so sensitive to the sun's rays that the affected areas become covered with painful blisters. The plant is especially dangerous on a clear day and for people with pale skin. If you rub your eyes, you can go blind. At the same time, at first a person does not feel anything special - a burn occurs only after a few hours, and sometimes days.

After contact with hogweed, thoroughly wash the skin with a soft sponge and soap, close the damaged areas so that they are not exposed to sunlight for two or three days. The blisters are treated with an antiseptic and bandaged, and antihistamines also help. With burns, you need to go to an ambulance or a doctor.

Aconites

Aconites, popularly called wrestlers, are a whole genus of the ranunculaceae family, although they look more like legumes because of their helmet flowers. In the middle lane, aconites do not germinate well and are rarely found in nature, but gardeners love them because of their large blue-violet brushes. In a flowerbed, wrestlers can be difficult to distinguish from larkspur: the difference is again in the flowers - in larkspur it is open.

Aconite

© Aleksey Durasov/TASS

Both larkspur and wrestlers are poisonous, but wrestlers are deadly: to die, it is enough to eat two to four grams of the plant. Even inhaling the pollen is dangerous. But most often people are poisoned by alcohol tinctures and decoctions of aconite, which are used for joint pain and cancer.

In large doses, aconite knocks down the heart rhythm, depresses respiration, causes paralysis. There is no antidote, as with most plant poisons, so only washing and symptomatic treatment is carried out. But toxic substances are absorbed through the stomach in about an hour - if there are a lot of them, then after that there is almost no hope of salvation.

Ash trees

Like aconites, Ash trees are more often found in flowerbeds than in forests and meadows. They attract attention with beautiful pink flowers with dark veins, long petals and curved stamens. You want to smell these or collect a bouquet from them, but in no case should you do this.

Ash trees

© Alexey Durasov/TASS

Ash trees contain a lot of essential oils. If you bring a match to them on a sunny day, a fire will break out. That is why these flowers are also called the burning bush: the flame does not harm the plant. But the essential oils secreted by the flowers and leaves of ash trees damage the skin and mucous membranes like Sosnowski's hogweed.

Wounds usually appear on the face and from the hand to the elbow. A person does not feel anything when he smells or touches ash trees, but soon blisters appear on the affected areas, then they burst and turn into painful ulcers that do not heal for a long time and leave marks. With these symptoms, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Lily-of-the-valley

Lily-of-the-valley is considered a symbol of purity and love, but this plant is very poisonous, and in its entirety. The toxic properties of lily of the valley were even used in the scenario of the cult series "Breaking Bad", where the main character, a chemist, almost killed a six-year-old child by treating him to delicious red-orange lily of the valley berries. At least, everything points to the fact that it was he who did it.

Lily of the valley

© Aleksey Durasov/TASS

But more often lily of the valley is poisoned when used as a heart remedy. The substances contained in it really help with heart failure and tachycardia, only in strictly defined quantities. If you drink a tincture or decoction, then you can achieve the opposite effect: the heart will fail, and before that the pressure will jump, vomiting, diarrhea, headache will begin, a rash will appear on the skin, the person will feel disoriented and lethargic. In the worst case, death will come. Therefore, if you had a chance to try lily of the valley and your health deteriorated, you need to urgently call an ambulance, wash your stomach and take activated charcoal.

Wolf's bark

Wolf's bark

© Aleksey Durasov/TASS

The wolf's bark has other alarming names: deadly wolfberry, badhovets. They gave them for a reason. Although this plant is used in folk medicine, and in former times it was rubbed instead of blush, after contact with a wolf's bark, one can really die. All parts are dangerous. If you try to pick a branch (it breaks off with difficulty), irritation will appear on the skin, but even worse - eat bright red berries that grow right on the branches, like sea buckthorn.

Berries cause a burning sensation in the mouth, so you can't eat a lot of them. Another thing is that you can swallow them whole and get a dangerous dose of poisons: for a child, only three or four pieces can be fatal, for an adult - a little more. Because of the wolf's bast, it becomes difficult to breathe, there is pain in the abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea, and convulsions are also possible. In severe cases, death occurs.

Castor oil

Castor oil

© Alexey Durasov/TASS

Castor oil can often be found in city flowerbeds or garden plots. Sometimes it grows up to several meters in height, it has large leaves with divergent rays, often with a beautiful purple hue. Children are especially attracted to the fruits of the plant - bright red, brown or green boxes with long spikes on the outside and variegated seeds inside. The well-known castor oil is obtained from castor bean seeds, but they also contain the deadly substance ricin, which, by the way, was also used by the protagonist of the Breaking Bad series.

Castor oil causes severe poisoning with severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid pulse, low blood pressure, and seizures that last for about a week. Fortunately, if you just swallow a couple of seeds, most likely you will not die. But if you chew them, you can get a lethal dose of poison. In addition, often ricin irreversibly affects the internal organs, so it is better to admire castor beans.

Celandine

Celandine

© Alexey Durasov/TASS

In contrast to the bastard, celandine is a misleading name. This small plant with yellow flowers, which blooms twice a season, is indeed used in folk medicine as an antibacterial agent (both as a choleretic agent, and against warts, and with mastopathy), and some young mothers bathe their babies in celandine broth. But celandine is poisonous, so you should not do this.

As with other medicinal plants, with celandine you cannot guess what the concentration of active substances is. Indirectly, this is indicated by its juice: when it is a rich orange color (usually in a hot summer), there are a lot of substances. But how many of them get into a decoction or tincture cannot be measured with improvised means. Preparations from celandine should be taken only under medical supervision: there is a risk of liver damage. It is better not to collect the plant even for bouquets: celandine juice can cause irritation on the skin.

Things to remember

— You can't eat unknown berries and roots: intestinal upset is nothing, but you can die. - With medicinal plants you need to be careful: the content of active substances depends on the season, air temperature, soil composition and other factors. - Not all plants can be touched with bare hands, but if you do, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water, especially before eating. - If symptoms of poisoning occur, you should immediately consult a doctor and, just in case, take activated charcoal. “We need to tell the children about all this and show them dangerous plants.

Marat Kuzaev

K. A. Timiryazeva Elena Malankina

Poisonous ornamental plants in the garden. Directory / Habr

The attentive reader has already managed to look for hemlock in nearby water bodies and estimate the danger that he was exposed to when buying wild garlic from his hands in the spring. Now it's time to look into your own garden and front garden. For while we are at our computers thinking with horror " how scary it is to live because of these poisonous plants ", in the countryside, my grandmother quietly grows "flowers" for herself, the toxins of which many wild-growing positions from the reference book "Poisonous Plants

and Animals

USSR" can envy ... So, we continue the identification of phytotoxins with Telegram-laboratory LAB-66 and read under the cut about garden "decorative" poisons



From the author

I’ll make a reservation right away, I don’t know the statistics of how many people were poisoned by this or that plant. Even with the most responsible approach, this is quite difficult, since the symptoms of poisoning are often disguised as various diseases. And doctors do not focus on what caused the poisoning. The first priority is to save lives. And of course, you should keep in mind such a thing as the "Soviet school of medical statistics." It is beautiful, which is worth at least the Belarusian statistics on deaths from coronavirus: every day, for almost two years, no more, no less, but 9-10 people. What kind of hemlock or dope is there to talk about at all. So don't think about numbers, think about probability, forewarned = forearmed. To help identifiers of wild plants Part I - Plants of I hazard class. Identification Checklist, Part II - Plant Toxins. User Stories, and we begin our review of toxic ornamental / house / garden plants.


And the first we will have is an oleander. Despite the fact that the lover of Obodzinsky in me recommends to treat this plant with tenderness, the chemist is of the opposite opinion.

For seeding


Oleander is quite a popular ornamental plant, which is grown not only in open ground, but also in winter gardens/greenhouses. The whole plant is poisonous: flower nectar, juice, young shoots and leaves. The danger of oleander is due to the content of oleandrin, cornerin and other cardiac glycosides in the plant. For the human body, the most dangerous element is the leaves, which, when eaten, can cause death and wood used as fuel (due to the sublimation of alkaloids). In humans, cardiac glycosides of the plant cause arrhythmias and other abnormalities in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, rule number 1 is to carry out any work with oleander with gloves. For therapy, see part two, paragraph "May Lily of the Valley".



Ageratina highest / Wrinkled sapling is the latest flowering of large garden perennials. Perennial plant, grows up to 1.5 m in height. The plant is highly poisonous due to the toxin tremetON (one of the mixture of ageratina toxins called tremetOL). Tremeton once inside causes convulsions, vomiting and leads to serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Also, if a pet eats a plant and then eats that animal by a human (or animal product like milk/cheese), the same poisoning develops as if the parts of the plant were consumed. By the way, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, the mother of US President Abraham Lincoln, died because of tremeton poisoning.



Catchment-grass/Aquilegia - very popular as an ornamental plant in flower beds and front gardens. The plant contains protoanemonin (like Buttercup caustic) and cyanogenic aldehydes.

Cyanogenic glycosides are plant compounds that release free hydrocyanic acid (hydrogen cyanide) as a result of an enzymatic reaction. In the normal state, glycosides are stored in plant vacuoles and do not show any activity. Examples include amygdalin and prunazine from bitter almonds, sorghum with the glycoside durrin (the first compound of its kind identified), barley/flax/white clover with the glycosides linamarin and lotaustralin.

The concentration of alkaloids is highest in the roots, although all parts of the plant, including the seeds, are poisonous if swallowed. It is possible that inhaling the dust of crushed seeds or inhaling essential oils can cause poisoning or at least cause some of the symptoms - general weakness, dizziness, tingling of the tongue, sharp pupil dilation, impaired color perception, heart pain, arrhythmia. The alcoholic extract of the leaves and stems did not have any toxic effect on mice. Toxins (as in buttercup) are destroyed by heating or drying. The good news is that although this plant contains fairly active alkaloids, there have been no cases of poisoning in humans or other mammals.



Kirkazon, or aristolochia is a liana that used to be used as a medicinal plant, but now it is used only as an ornamental plant (for landscaping arches, etc. ). The substance contained in the plant - aristolochic acid - is the strongest carcinogen that contributes to the occurrence of neoplasms of the urinary tract and kidneys.

Plants containing derivatives of aristolochic acid are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group I carcinogen. In 2001, the UK government banned the sale, supply and import of any drug containing "spare parts" of plants of the genus Aristolochia.



Moonseed Canadian is another deciduous vine that is used for landscaping various structures. All parts of the plant are poisonous. You can get poisoned by a plant by confusing it with wild-growing country grapes (children can especially fall for this). The difference between the plants is that in the moonseed, the seeds are crescent-shaped, while in grapes they are round. In addition, another distinguishing feature is the presence of a mustache in the vine (and, accordingly, their absence in the moonseed vine). The main toxins are the isoquinoline alkaloid dauricine (+ related sinomenin, actuamine, etc.). The maximum of alkaloids with an anticholinergic effect is found in roots and berries. The main symptoms of poisoning: arrhythmia (dauricine blocks potassium channels), convulsions, muscle spasms. First aid in case of poisoning: induce vomiting, give an oral suspension of activated charcoal, a laxative (sulfates), gastric lavage with a 0.1% solution of potassium permanganate is possible. There is no specific antidote, treatment is symptomatic: diazepam for spasms, control of acidosis, mechanical ventilation in case of respiratory arrest or paralysis.



Hydrangea is one of our growers' favorite flowers. Plants differ in the color of flowers - they can be blue, red, pink, light purple or dark purple. Moreover, the change in color depends on the concentration of aluminum ions in the soil (the concentration, in turn, depends on the pH of the soil). Acidic soil (pH below 7) will contain free aluminum ions and the flowers will be blue to purple. Alkaline soil (pH above 7) binds aluminum ions and will give a pink or red color. Hydrangeas are moderately toxic plants, all parts of the plant contain cyanogenic glycosides (in particular hydrangin + isocoumarin hydrangenol), so eating any parts of the plant is contraindicated and can lead to to poisoning. The maximum amount of glycosides is contained in Hydrangea large-leaved ( Hydrangea macrophylla ), especially in flower buds. Explicit symptoms of poisoning can occur if you chew leaves or flower buds: shortness of breath, fainting, pressure drop with a rapid pulse, convulsions.


I already wrote about aconite in the first part of the series devoted to toxins of plants of the Umbelliferae family. But I will repeat briefly. All wrestlers or aconites contain derivatives of aconitic acid in one quantity or another. The most famous (and poisonous) of the derivatives is the alkaloid aconitine. This toxin acts on sodium channels in membranes and affects the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. And in games with acetylcholine, the end point is usually paralysis. The use of only 2 mg of pure aconitine (~ gram of the plant) leads to death due to respiratory or cardiac paralysis. Aconitine has the properties of a contact poison (penetrates through the skin). The first symptoms appear after about 20 minutes: increased sweating, nausea and vomiting, severe pain and paralysis of skeletal muscles. It all ends with respiratory paralysis (that is, aconitine is an “antidote for coronavirus ventilation”) or cardiac arrest.

In traditional toxicological practice, in case of poisoning with aconitine, immediate gastric lavage with tannins (they are tannins, which I wrote about in an old article on Habré) and the use of activated carbon, preferably in fibrous form (read about coal - Enterosorbents. Activated carbon ). It is believed that in case of accidental poisoning, heart stimulants - strong coffee or tea - give a good effect. Since aconitine acts as a sodium channel agonist, any drugs with antiarrhythmic activity can be used as potential antidotes, such as lidocaine. Under the supervision of a physician, sodium channel blockers (such as quinidine, novocainamide, etc.) can be used as antidotes. There are references to the fact that the active substance from the famous ornamental plant Peony lactiflora - pioniflorin - has a detoxifying effect, changing the pharmacokinetics of aconitine in the body. So, if suddenly you decide to plant aconite in the garden, then plant an antidote in the neighborhood - peony , since it also gives a considerable dose of aesthetic pleasure.



Brugmansia / Angel's trumpets are perennial flowering plants, small trees and shrubs. Cultivated as an ornamental plant throughout the world. They can reach a height of 3–11 m. All parts of Brugmansia are poisonous, especially the seeds and leaves. They contain atropine , scopolamine , and other tropane alkaloids. The ingestion of parts of Brugmansia into the human body leads to muscle paralysis, confusion, tachycardia, diarrhea, causes headaches, leads to visual and auditory hallucinations, and even death. The symptoms of poisoning and the mechanism of treatment are similar to cases of poisoning with henbane or Datura (see the second part, paragraph Tropane alkaloids).



Delfinum /Spur/Larksuckle - "garden aristocrats". But at the same time, they are relatives of aconite and contain many toxic, so-called. aconite alkaloids in roots and fruits (up to 1.4%). As a rule, bees usually avoid collecting nectar from them, but if this happens, the insects undergo intoxication, reminiscent of intoxication, and may die. Well, honey collected from larkspur, respectively, has toxic properties. The content of alkaloids in the plant has seasonal fluctuations - the maximum is observed during the period of growth and flowering. Some of the larkspur alkaloids (not all!): Dolphin, Delphine, Delphinoidin, Staphyzagrin, Ayacin, Ayaconine, Delsolin, Delcosine, Deltalin, Delfamin, Staphysin, Condelphin, Ayacinin, Ayacinoidin, Delatin, Delfemin, Delfelin, Methyllicaconitin, Delsonin, Consolidine, anthranoillicoctonin, lycoctonin, delfatin, delbin, dellartin, eldelin, elatin, delfelatin, delsemin, delsin, areolin, dictyocarpin. Symptoms of poisoning and treatment are similar to Aconite.



Rhododendron is a popular evergreen with large beautiful flowers. All parts of the plant (stems, leaves, flowers, pollen and nectar) contain specific substances - grayanotoxins. Grayanotoxins are a group of neurotoxins named after the 19th century American botanist Asa Grey. In Russian transcription, the name "andromedotoxins" is most often used. The largest amount of toxins is found in the pollen of flowers, so honey collected by bees from flowering rhododendrons has hallucinogenic properties (and this, by the way, is actively used in Nepal and Turkey, using rhododendron honey as a light drug). Grayanotoxins are low molecular weight hydrophobic compounds, i.e. they cannot be absorbed through the skin, it must be ingested (through honey, smoking herbs, medicinal tea from a plant). The mechanism of action is binding to sodium channels on the inner surface of the neuron, i. e. grayanotoxins are a reversible sodium channel agonist (

i.e. rhododendron is an antidote for aconite, or vice versa

). Prolonged activation of sodium channels and depolarization of cells lead to excessive stimulation of the central nervous system. The most common clinical symptoms are nausea and vomiting, altered consciousness, hypotension, sinus bradycardia, bradyarrhythmia, etc. Grayanotoxin poisoning can be fatal to other animals, especially horses. Nectar containing greyanotoxin can kill honey bees. Some researchers even advise breeding bumblebees instead of bees in places where rhododendrons are abundant (they carry more pollen, are resistant to grayanotoxin).

About heather honey

Someone probably remembers Heather Ale, a ballad by Robert Louis Stevenson (1880).


In our area, it was known in the translation of S. Marshak. A brief summary from Wikipedia:

The ballad tells of the extermination by the King of Scotland of the "little people" (English dwarfish folk), who previously inhabited these lands - Stevenson also calls them "Picts". The last two representatives of this people, father and son, were brought to the king to discover the secret of making a sweet intoxicating drink from heather, for which the king promises to save their lives. The old father agrees to reveal the secret. However, he is ashamed to do this in front of his son. Therefore, he asks first to drown the young man in the sea. When the king agrees and the young man is thrown into the waves, the old man says that he is not afraid of the fire, but he doubted his son’s stamina, but he still won’t give out secrets, and she will die with him.

Rhododendron belongs to the Heather family. Well, many of the Heather family may contain grayantoxins. Here is the secret of production for you. In the context of my article, it is a sin not to re-read for general erudition.




Sweet honeysuckle (Caprifolia) is an ornamental deciduous climbing shrub with flowers of a characteristic shape. The plant contains alkaloids xylostin (the main source of bitterness), xylostozidin , saponins and cyanogenic glycosides . Toxic phytocomponents are mainly found in leaves and fruits (by the way, flowers are absolutely safe). The highest probability of poisoning is due to the consumption of berries (> 5 berries at a time). Moreover, the toxic effect is due to saponins rather than alkaloids. Symptoms of poisoning: irritation of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, vomiting, diarrhea. Symptoms such as drowsiness, fatigue, photophobia may fail. Interestingly, the active ingredients of the berries do not have any effect on birds. As a therapy, the use of activated charcoal is mandatory (as well as with any other suspicion of poisoning with alkaloids or saponins).

Note about snow berries : this family also includes an ornamental plant quite popular in our territories - white snowberry.


Almost everywhere it can be found in hedges, especially around schools, kindergartens, etc. I also remember my school childhood, when passing by bushes with these large berries, there was always a desire to pick berries and crush them in my hands as an anti-stress. In the mouth, though, there was never a desire to pull, because of the soapy contents of the berries. It is this "soapiness" (=saponins) that can be the cause of poisoning in children (vomiting, etc.). In addition to saponins, the snowberry contains alkaloid chelidonin , which seems to be toxic, but with rather high LD50 values. So the main threat is berries and saponins in them. Keep away from children!



Berry yew is an evergreen poisonous shrub. All parts of this plant (and those of the Yew family) are poisonous, with the exception of the fleshy rind of the berries. Some species are more toxic, some less. The concentration of toxic substances in the plant also depends on the season - the highest concentrations in winter and the lowest in summer. Interestingly, Yew is one of the few families of trees where the poison continues to work after the death of the plant (i.e. a dried yew board is not particularly different from a living plant). Fallen yew leaves retain their toxicity for several months and even increase with dehydration. Poisoning most often occurs when eating yew leaves, but there are also reports of poisoning from inhaling yew sawdust, and even through pollen (grain size is about 15 microns, so it easily passes through all sorts of window barriers, only HEPA will save)

The toxicity of yew is due to the presence of the following unique compounds: alkaloids ( taxin B , paclitaxel, isotaxin B, taxin A ), glycosides (taxicatin), taxane derivatives (taxol A, taxol B ).

Protaxanes and their medicinal significance

Taxane diterpenes were first isolated from plants of the Yew family. To date, paclitaxel and docetaxel are widely used for chemotherapy, and cabazitaxel has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of hormone-resistant prostate cancer. The effect of Tuscans is possible because they impair microtubule function ( and thanks to them our consciousness can exist, aha!, science fiction writers cannot lie ) and inhibit the process of cell division = inhibit mitosis. Their second name is "mitotic poisons". In addition, these compounds are radiosensitive, i.e. susceptible to ionizing radiation. In general, there are so many difficult and interesting things that fall out of the topic of the article that I advise everyone who is interested to connect to my Patreon, where I will definitely make a note on this topic.

The mechanism of the toxic action of yew compounds is the effect on sodium and calcium channels of myocardial cells and an increase in the calcium concentration in the cytoplasm. By and large, the mechanism of action of yew toxins is similar to the action of such a drug as Verapamil, with the only difference being that taxins are much more cardiospecific (targeted purely at the heart). Poisoning is accompanied by bradycardia, hypotension, decreased myocardial contractility, arrhythmia, etc. Taxine alkaloids are rapidly absorbed from the intestine and can cause death due to cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. Taxins are also efficiently absorbed through the skin. The LD50 of taxine alkaloids is approximately 3 mg/kg body weight for humans. Moreover, patients who take a lethal dose often die due to cardiogenic shock, despite resuscitation.

In case of poisoning, it is important to understand what actually poisoned the patient, in the case of yew alkaloids, the indicator is the presence in the patient's blood, stomach contents, and urine of the compound 3,5-dimethoxyphenol , a hydrolysis product of the glycosidic bond of taxins. It is worth remembering that there are currently no known antidotes for yew poisoning, but atropine is sometimes used to stop bradycardia and arrhythmias. Everything else is symptomatic: mechanical ventilation / CPAP therapy, tranquilizers in case of seizures, etc. It is much easier to prevent poisoning than to treat it, therefore, when working with yew (green plants, wood, pollen, etc.), it is necessary to use protective equipment (gloves, antiaerosol RPE). Pet owners should ensure that yew branches or leaves are not used as dog toys or as perches for pet birds. On animals and birds, yew acts in the same way as on humans. Although in fairness it should be noted that the white-tailed deer (the main source of borelli for the tick) is immune to yew poisons.



Heliotrope is a popular garden plant (and weed). Garden species are hepatoxic when eaten due to the abundance of pyrrolizidine alkaloids - heliothrin and heliotridine . Although you need to eat a decent amount of the plant (and it tastes unpleasant). In the 40-50s post-war years of the last century, massive liver damage was recorded in people who consumed heliotrope seeds / grass either accidentally (contaminated grain) or intentionally (using herbal infusions to treat certain diseases in the absence of medicines). Animals also ignore this plant due to its unpleasant taste, but horses and cattle, for example, can get poisoned when using hay that has been mowed in meadows where heliotrope grew.



Boxwood is one of the oldest ornamental plants used for landscaping and ornamental gardening. And with all this, all parts of the plant are poisonous (even pollen, so boxwood honey is also considered poisonous). The main toxic substance is the alkaloid cyclobuxine. Its highest content is observed in leaves and bark (up to 3%). When taken orally, the toxin is considered moderately dangerous to humans (LD50 from 5 to 50 mg / kg). Signs of cyclobuxin poisoning: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, shortness of breath, muscle spasms. But for animals (cats, dogs, horses), it is considered fatal.



Cossack juniper (Tamariscifolia) is one of the frequent guests in the flowerbeds of many cities, and even in household plots. The berries of this plant represent a certain danger. If the berries of our dear common juniper are actively used as a seasoning, then tamariscifolia berries can seriously undermine health. In the same Spain, for example, if inclusions of tamariscifolia berries come across in a batch of juniper berries, the batch is destroyed. This can be understood, judge for yourself, the composition of common juniper berries: alpha-pinene, cadinene, camphene, borneol, isoborneol, terpineol. At least now take it and rub it. And here is the composition of Cossack juniper berries: alpha-pinene, cadinene, and everything else (> 50%) is sabinene, sabinyl acetate, sabinol, unique to this plant. You can’t rub yourself and take it inside, as you can endanger the gastrointestinal tract, and get hematuria, kidney failure, etc. The components of the Cossack juniper are structurally similar to thuyan / thujol / thujon. And these guys are very difficult:

Thujone or monoterpine is a colorless substance with a characteristic menthol-like odor. Thujone is one of the two most important active components of absinthe. Thujone is an antagonist of GABA type A CNS receptors and, accordingly, in high doses causes muscle spasms and convulsive seizures. Presumably, it is due to the effect on GABA receptors that thujone is responsible for the detrimental effect of absinthe on the brain in people who abuse this alcoholic beverage.


Conclusion

I hope those who had the patience to read the article to the end understood how much more diverse the world of toxins of “domestic” plants is than the world of wild plant toxins. Therefore, it is very important to adhere to the following recommendations:

  • It is necessary to know all the plants growing in your garden well. Many of them are poisonous to some extent. When planning to plant a new plant in the garden, it is necessary to study its potential danger - whether it emits burning essential oils, whether shoots and leaves contain caustic substances, whether the fruits are poisonous.
  • When working in the garden with any flowers, shrubs and vines - always use gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after work! Without knowing the degree of poisonousness of a particular plant, do not allow children and animals to “taste” them
  • Only buy a plant with a tag showing its name. Ask if it's poisonous. If you were given an unknown plant, check it: cut off a twig (leaf) and consult with experts. Some plants are so poisonous that they should not be kept in the house or yard at all (yew, oleander, etc.). Less toxic plants can be grown, but they must be out of the reach of the child (snowberry for example)

In general, children and poisonous ornamental plants are the main stumbling block. Parents should wean their child from dragging home and garden plants into their mouths from childhood. For in theory you can protect your garden and garden from poisonous plants, but what if they end up in other houses. Therefore, in spite of the warnings,

the best preventive measure is to keep an eye on the child.

If the child still somehow managed to eat part of the plant, then:

  • Examine the baby's hands and mouth to determine if he actually ate a piece of the plant
  • Check for redness or blisters on baby's hands, eyes, or lips, then look at baby's tongue and mouth for cuts, redness, blistering, or swelling
  • Find out if this plant is safe or poisonous (for example, using Pl@ntNet, or my articles on Habré). You can take a picture of the leaves and upload them to the LAB-66 channel chat. Biologists advise.
  • If you don't know which plant the child has tasted, ask him first to show you his favorite flower, and then, with his confidence, ask him which plant he has tasted. Do not show fear and do not behave too aggressively, otherwise the child will become isolated. If the child did not help you identify the eaten plant, carefully examine all those that he could reach; look for torn leaves, smeared dirt, or other signs that the child has been here
  • If the plant is known to be poisonous or suspicious, take the child and the plant to the hospital or call an ambulance. With the exception of a sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and stomach discomfort, plants are rarely capable of producing a rapid toxic effect on the body. If signs of toxic poisoning appear (heavy, shortness of breath, pallor, uneven heartbeat and drop in blood pressure), medical attention should be provided to the child immediately.

That's all, be careful and careful! Habra-guide to help you!

Part 1. <<<<<<<<<< Part 2. <<<<<<<<<<< Part 3. >>>>>>>>>> Part 4.

Bonus test on knowledge of poisonous berries.


p.s. For a long time now (since about 2005, when I found out about this), I have been dreaming of visiting one interesting park in the UK. It's called Alnwick Poison Gardens .


This is not even a park, but part of a huge park area, which is located near Alnwick Castle in the town of Alnwick (Northumberland, England). In 2005, the so-called.

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