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PLEASE NOTE:
"Poisonous" does not mean deadly. Some manifestations of toxicity are subtle. The dose, as always, determines if a plant is safe source of nutrients or a toxic hazard.

Frequently (and not so frequently) Asked Questions

Simple keyword search (one or two words only)

 


BRIEF: Could You give me some information on toxicity of Alsike and Red Maple?


QUESTION:
I was looking under your poisonous plants and under the misc. section you mention two catagories I am interested in locating information on. One is Alsike poisoning - mycrotoxin? and the other is Red Maple Poisioning.

ANSWER:
These are two items associated with horse poisoning. The alsike causes liver damage by mechanisms unknown which in turn leads to photsensitivity manifested by a dermatitis over white skin. Red maple ingestion leads to mehemoglobemia, lysis of red cells, anemia and kidney damage. The search for the natural chemical responsible for this is an active area of research in this laboratory.