DAPHNE (DAPHNE MEZEREUM)
Daphne, also called spurge laurel, lady laurel, paradise plant, or dwarf bay, is a small shrub about 1–1.5 metres in height. It blooms in early spring, before the appearance of the leaves, with sweet-scented, rose-purple flowers clustered about the stem.
Although native to Eurasia, daphne is popular in North America as an ornamental; in Nova Scotia, it is successfully cultivated at Annapolis Royal, Grand Pré, Wolfville, Halifax, and other relatively temperate spots. In a few localities, it has escaped cultivation and become naturalized.
Many of the common names for daphne are derived from the mythology of ancient Greece. Apollo, god of intellect, arts, and healing, desired the maiden Daphne, who had dedicated her life to Artemis, goddess of chastity, wild nature, and the hunt. To protect Daphne from Apollo, Artemis turned Daphne into a laurel tree. Botanically speaking, daphne is unrelated to true laurels, but humans love romance, so the association has stuck.
POISON LOCATION
All parts of daphne contain toxins, but the greatest concentrations occur in the bark, sap, and berries.
POISON TYPE
Mezerein, an acrid resin producing a severe skin irritation; and daphnin, a bitter, poisonous glycoside. These are extremely active toxins. Though some researchers suggest that extracts of daphne may have potential for treating leukemia, the plant is also known to be co-carcinogenic in the presence of low doses of carcinogenic compounds.
TYPICAL POISONING SCENARIO
Consumption of flowers or the scarlet berries by children who are attracted by the showy colours. If daphne is present in the garden, small children should be kept away from it.
SYMPTOMS
Even a single berry chewed but not swallowed typically causes intense burning in the throat and mouth. Consumption of a few berries can cause upset stomach, headaches, diarrhea, delirium, and convulsions. If the victim falls into a coma, death can ensue.
DAPHNE POISON INFORMATION
Alcohol
Intoxication from imbibing beer, wine, or distilled liquor to the point of inebriation is one form of alcohol poisoning.
The breakdown of cabohydrates produces alcohol, although there are a few plants that produce toxic alcohols.
Two plants are found in Nova Scotia to contain toxic alcohols, water hemlock and white snakeroot (a rarely seen plant). Some consider the water hemlock to be the most poisonous plant of temperate North America.
Glycosides
Glycosides are toxins in which at least one sugar molecule is linked with oxygen to another compound, often nitrogen-based. They become harmful when the sugar molecule is stripped off, as in the process of digestion.
Resins and Volatile Oils
Resins and volatile oils are derived mostly from hydrocarbons—chemicals composed of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen. This group of poisons is very diverse.
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