Re: Solanum ligustrinum
- Subject: Re: Solanum ligustrinum
- From: Richard Dufresne s*@infi.net
- Date: Sun, 08 Sep 2002 17:23:53 -0400
At 08:45 PM 9/8/2002 +0100, you wrote:
>
>And also on the subject of solanums and indeed of S. crispum:
>
>I knew solanums are 'poisonous' (though the poisons are of the sort which
can be used for hallucinogenic and more or less medical purposes as well as,
at greater strengths or from certain particular species, for deadly ones)
but I didn't realise mere contact could cause quite powerful allergic
reactions. I thought the poison was essentially in the fruit. Wrong,
presumably...
>
>Does anyone on the list know anything (personal or book-larnin') about
allergic reaction from contact with a solanum?
Some words on the schemicals in Solanaceae:
Nicotine is found in Nicotiana species. Other alkaloids like hyoscamine,
atropine, and scopolamine are found in Solanums. Solanine is found in all
parts of the potato except the tuber.and the tomato except the fruit.
Furanocoumarins like psoralen and bergaptene are photo-sensitizing irritants
found in a number of families like the Rutaceae, Apiaceae, and Solanaceae.
Like poison ivy, there is usually no initial reaction. On repeated
exposure, especially in bright sunlight, nasty skin reactions can develop,
like celery picker's rot, from contact with pinkish celery mold, which
modifies the naturally occurring compounds to nasty derivatives. I love
both parsnips and eggplant, but avoid them because they make my eustachian
tubes, normally swollen almost shut, itch like mad for hours.
Richard F. Dufresne
313 Spur Road
Greensboro, North Carolina 27406 USA
336-674-3105
World of Salvias: http://www.eclectasy.com/gallery_of_salvias/index.htm
Salvia email list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Salvia
