Callilepis laureola
| Callilepis laureola | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Callilepis laureola | ||||||||||||
| DC. |
Callilepis laureola ("South African Ox-Eye Daisy") is a species of the sunflower family . C. laureola and the five other species in the genus are native to South Africa.
features
C. laureola forms shrubs about half a meter high. The leafy shoots grow upright from a woody rootstock. The flower heads are conspicuous, in the middle they have dark purple tubular flowers which are bordered on the outside by light yellow to white ray florets.
Occurrence
The plant is widespread in the northern to northeastern areas of South Africa. This covers the area from the Eastern Cape Province to Mpumalanga .
use
Active ingredients
Mainly responsible for the toxicity of the South African Ox-Eye Daisy is the diterpene glycoside atractyloside . In addition, three other kaur glycosides were found in the plant, all derivatives of atractyloside.
use
The plant's tap roots are sold in local markets as a popular traditional remedy for coughs. However, numerous deaths have been reported after ingestion. This is also due to the fact that the traditional cultural security measures are now missing. For example, the plant was not previously given to children under 10 years of age. Because of the neglect of these and other rules, poisoning occurs regularly nowadays. It should only be administered orally in a weak solution. This is vomited again immediately after ingestion. According to a South African newspaper report, 263 deaths from C. laureola poisoning were documented in a hospital in Durban between 1958 and 1977 . Half of the cases described concerned children under 15 years of age.
Symptoms
Poisoning manifests itself in violent vomiting, abdominal pain and headache. In addition, severe cramps occur accompanied by hypoglycaemia . Symptoms progress rapidly until coma and death occur. Death occurs within five days due to acute damage to the liver and kidneys .
pharmacology
The ingredients of C. laureola are toxic to cells and classified as very toxic (Ib). Atractylosid is highly toxic to mammals and causes symptoms similar to strychnine poisoning , for example extreme convulsions and epileptic fits. As a pure substance, the active ingredient is used in biochemistry , as it specifically inhibits the ATP / ADP transport across the mitochondrial membrane. This blockade effectively cuts off the energy supply to the cell, and all energy-dependent processes come to a standstill. The nerve and muscle paralysis that occurs leads to cell death.
First aid and clinical therapy
Vomiting should be induced as soon as possible and activated charcoal and sodium sulphate administered. In the clinic, gastric lavage is usually performed, for example with a 0.2% potassium permanganate solution. In addition, the application of activated charcoal and sodium sulfate, an acidosis therapy with sodium bicarbonate and an intubation with oxygen treatment.
swell
- Michael Wink, Ben-Erik van Wyk, Coralie Wink: Handbook of poisonous and psychoactive plants . Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-8047-2425-9 .
Web links
- South African National Biodiversity Institute Pictures and Description