Wolf bast plant (poisonous): description, application features and reviews. Wolfberry - what kind of plant is it? Wolf berry description for children

Why is wolfberry a poisonous plant? What does it look like and what poison does it contain? How to prevent poisoning and how to provide first aid if this happens? My daughter, who is going on a camping trip with her class, has so many questions. So let’s sort it out in order and look for answers, for the safety of children and the peace of mind of parents. In addition, we will also tell you about urgent measures in case of poisoning and the complicated consequences of inaction.

Wolf berries are very poisonous!

What is wolfberry?

Several people called “wolf berry” fruit bushes or plants with various brightly colored inedible berries. They, of course, have nothing to do with the wolf, but were called that because the harm and toxicity of these berries was associated with this animal. Fortunately, they are not seen so often in the forest, but it is still necessary to warn, especially children. Although they look appetizing, they are also very dangerous to eat. Wolf poisonous plants that can cause poisoning include:

  • belladonna,
  • wolfberry,
  • nightshade,
  • honeysuckle,
  • girl's grapes,
  • wolfberry or wolf's face,
  • raven eye,
  • calligraphy,
  • snowberry,
  • May lily of the valley.

When walking in the forest, pay attention that these berries and herbs do not end up in your basket. Only if this is not the purpose of collection for medicinal purposes. Due to their toxic properties, they are not officially manufactured in the production of medicinal products, but they are widely used in homeopathic remedies in the treatment of diseases of the skin, liver, problems with the heart, eyes, joints, gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, urinary tract and immune systems.

It is very dangerous to self-medicate; you must first consult a doctor about taking medications that have contraindications. Your therapist will be able to advise you on a safe dosage and method of use for health benefits.

By the way, it's interesting that wolfberry and honeysuckle bushes are not considered poisonous plants. Tea is prepared from wolfberry berries to strengthen the immune system and prevent colds. Honeysuckle is used in landscape design as a hedge. Juice squeezed from other poisonous berries serves as poison for pests. In this case, it is necessary to observe the rules of personal hygiene and always wear gloves.

Why is wolfberry a poisonous plant?

This effect is exerted by the potent substance found in the berry - solanine. However, not only the berry, but all other parts of the bush are also dangerous. When the skin comes into contact with the wet bark of the bush, a feeling of pain and redness appears in this place. The sap, when squeezed from the bush, causes a burn with blisters and ulcers on the skin. Eating fruits in general can cause death due to cardiac arrest, depending on the amount eaten.

What does she look like?

Wolfberry very poisonous!

What does the poisonous plant closest in name look like - wolfberry (wolf's bast)? Its description resembles a currant bush, only it grows in the forest. The color of the berries is darker purple, although there are also ones with red berries. The difference is the glossy surface of the fruit. Moreover, he is famous interesting fact flowering before leaves appear.

In general, it is a maximum height of 150 cm, a small bush, having a gray stem bark with oblong and hard or smooth leaves. It blooms with beautiful tubular buds with four petals. The range of colors is white or pink, even red. Wolf berries are ready in the fall oval shaped, resemble barberry berries.

Wolfberry poisoning

Wolfberry is a poisonous plant and accidental consumption of its fruits is very dangerous. Even a flowering plant is harmful - it irritates the respiratory mucosa.

Symptoms of poisoning are the appearance of:

  • general weakness of the body;
  • dizziness and loss of coordination;
  • excessive salivation and problems with swallowing;
  • a burn is felt in the mouth or throat; intestinal pain accompanied by gag reflexes and bleeding;
  • gastrointestinal disorder;
  • eye irritation or conjunctivitis;
  • convulsion and fainting.

If you notice this condition immediately it is necessary to transport the person to the nearest hospital rather than self-medicate. This condition is dangerous to human health and inaction can lead to death. In the forest, it is difficult to be on time, orientate and act, but it is necessary.

First aid for poisoning

If possible, of course, call the rescue service, describing your location as accurately as possible.

Wolfberry is a poisonous plant, so even if you get a scratch from it, you need to wash the wound with an antiseptic.

It is necessary to call doctors in case of poisoning

If you are poisoned by fruits, before help arrives, induce vomiting, it would be good to rinse the stomach with a 2% solution of potassium permanganate, give plenty of fluids and several tablets of activated carbon per body weight. If possible, give an enema or a laxative.

The poison spreads throughout the body very quickly and affects all body systems. The patient must be laid down and by appropriate means warm up while waiting for help. When convulsions occur, give milk, starch solution or chlorine hydrate to drink. To help the heart and avoid shock, you can give any remedy, following the dosage according to the instructions.

You should put all this in your first aid kit with you in advance, in addition to food and water supplies. It wouldn’t hurt to check that your phone is charged, as well as the comfort of your shoes and clothes.

If there are several people on a hike and the road is precisely known, then the patient can be taken closer to the exit from the forest so that ambulance quickly took qualified measures from doctors.

Consequences for the body

In any case, wolfberry is a poisonous plant and poisoning will not pass without consequences and various complications, especially if you do not act, then, as a result, depending on the volume of fruit eaten, death is possible due to cardiac arrest. In almost every case, upon the arrival of qualified assistance from specialists, the patient is hospitalized and further treated in a hospital.

To avoid cases of wolfberry poisoning, you need to talk about them when going to the forest to pick mushrooms or berries, especially to children, so that they do not end up in trouble or know exactly how to act!

Video

What does wolfberry look like?

The fruits are called wolf fruits different plants: privet, wolf's bast, wolfberry and even goji. What does wolfberry look like, which can be dangerous to humans? What forest fruits should you be extremely careful with?

In the photo there is wolfberry (wolfberry)

What kind of berry is called wolfberry?

The commercial name of goji berries is wolfberry. Translated from English - wolfberry. However, Chinese fruits for weight loss have nothing in common with the plant, which is found in the forests of the North and central Russia, in Ukraine, Moldova and the Caucasus. Enterprising sellers often pass off the fruits of privet, nightshade, and wolf's bast as expensive imported goji.

Wolfberry, the photo of which reflects it external features- This is a fruit with a red or black glossy color. It is formed on a shrub with narrow oblong leaves, formed from a flower, filled during the summer and ripened by autumn. At this time, the branches are studded with large bright beads and look especially impressive. Thanks to this property privet, for example, is planted in gardens for decorative purposes.

In spring, a bush up to 5 meters blooms with beautiful tassels, like lilacs. And in the fall, shiny purple fruits appear in place of the inflorescences.

Common nightshade and wolf's bast produce black fruits with a glossy sheen. They are very dangerous and contain poison that is lethal to humans and animals. They are strictly forbidden to be used for food or medical purposes.

Wolfberry: harm and benefits of fruits

Wolfberry, common in our forests, is an extremely poisonous plant. Birds and animals avoid it. The name refers to her ability to cause evil rather than her preference as a predator. The poison of nightshade, wolf's bast, and privet, named after wolf's berry, is strong and fast-acting.

However, black or bright red fruits can be beneficial to humans.

1. In China, they make a special tincture used for eye diseases.

2. Yes medical supplies, where the poison of the berries is present in minute doses and, in combination with other components, plays a positive role in human health.

3. Experienced gardeners use them to prepare poisonous compounds to combat pests in garden beds.

4. Chinese goji berries and wolfberry can be consumed without fear for your health in order to lose weight and increase the stability of the immune system.

Wolf berries are the collective name for inedible and poisonous fruits growing in the forest. You have to be careful with them. When walking through the forest, you should avoid bushes.

Wolfberry is a collective, popular name for a number of plants, the fruits of most of which have toxic or irritating properties.

Since childhood, we have been told about the poisonous properties of wolfberry. However, few people know that there are several varieties of such berries. For example, Belladonna is a poisonous species, while the common wolfberry is not. Wolfberry and Crow's Eye are also poisonous. Buckthorn and Snowberry can cause vomiting or dizziness.

others are often classified as wolfberry inedible plants, which have a specific color, for example, bright red. Thus, red elderberry and some types of black elderberry are also in some way wolfberry.

Belladonna (belladonna)

or Krasuha, or Sleepy stupor, or Crazy berry, or Crazy cherry, or European belladonna, or Common belladonna, or Belladonna belladonna (lat. Atrópa belladónna)

The species name "belladonna" comes from Italian words and translated into Russian means “ beautiful woman" In the old days, Italian ladies dropped belladonna juice into their eyes, the pupils dilated - and a special sparkle appeared in their eyes. In addition, they rubbed the berries on the cheeks to give them a “natural” blush. In Rus', this plant has long been known as “belladonna”. Another name, “rabies”, is due to the fact that atropine, which is part of the plant, can cause severe agitation in a person, leading to rabies.

Signs of poisoning

Signs of mild poisoning (appear after 10-20 minutes): dryness and burning in the mouth and throat, difficulty swallowing and speaking, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia). The voice becomes hoarse. The pupils are dilated and do not react to light. Near vision is impaired. Photophobia, flickering of spots before the eyes. Dryness and redness of the skin. Excitement, sometimes delirium and hallucinations.

At severe poisoning complete loss of orientation, sudden motor and mental agitation, sometimes convulsions. A sharp increase in body temperature, shortness of breath with the appearance of periodic breathing of the Cheyne-Stokes type, cyanosis (blue discoloration) of the mucous membranes, irregular weak pulse, drop in blood pressure. Possible death from paralysis of the respiratory center and vascular insufficiency.

A specific complication of atropine poisoning is trophic disorders - significant swelling of the subcutaneous tissue of the face, in the area of ​​the forearms and legs.

Common wolfberry

Deadly wolfberry, or Common wolfberry, or Wolf's bast, or Wolf's berries, or Plokhovets, or Puffy (lat. Dáphne mezéreum)

IN middle lane Russia blooms earlier than all shrubs.

In Russia it grows throughout the forest zone - in the north of the European part of Russia (including the Arctic region) and Western Siberia (along the border with the forest-steppe; it reaches Baikal to the east), in the North Caucasus and in Dagestan.

It grows more often in the undergrowth of dark coniferous and mixed forests, less often in deciduous forests forest-steppe. In the southern regions - in the subalpine mountain belt. It grows and branches well with light lightening.

Poisonous organs

Leaves, flowers and fruits are highly poisonous.

Picture of poisoning

Poisoning occurs when eating berries (often by children), chewing the bark, as well as when the skin comes into contact with wet bark or when plant juice gets on it (dermatitis). Inhalation of dust from the bark causes irritation of the mucous membranes of the pharynx and respiratory tract, contact with the eyes irritates the conjunctiva. After eating the berries, there is a burning sensation in the mouth, pain in the epigastric region, nausea, vomiting, weakness, and possible convulsions. Poisoning occurs as hemorrhagic gastroenteritis.

Crow's eye four-leaf

Grows throughout almost all of Europe (except the southeast), in the Mediterranean and Western Siberia, in deciduous forests and mixed forests on fertile loamy soil. Found in coniferous forests. Prefers damp, shaded places, thickets of bushes, shady ravines. Also widespread in forest-steppe.

Virulence

The plant is deadly poisonous. Children who are attracted to shiny beautiful berries are especially often poisoned. raven eye. The leaves act on the central nervous system, the fruits on the heart, and the rhizomes cause vomiting. Symptoms of poisoning: abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, attacks of dizziness, convulsions, disruption of the heart until it stops. The use of the plant for medicinal purposes is prohibited.

Buckthorn brittle

alder buckthorn (lat. Frángula álnus), or brittle jester (Rhámnus frangula)

It is found in the forest and forest-steppe zones of Europe, the central regions of Western Siberia, the north of Asia Minor, most of the Crimea, the Caucasus, and the northern regions of Central Asia.

Application in medicine

The bark and fruits have laxative and emetic properties and are used in folk medicine. In official medicine, buckthorn bark (Latin: Cortex Frangulae) has medicinal value. To avoid poisoning, do not use fresh bark. Toxic substances in it gradually oxidize, so the bark is used after 1 year natural storage or after warming up (1 hour at 100 °C). The raw materials are used in the form of a decoction, extract, as part of laxatives and antihemorrhoids, in the form of the drug “Ramnil”.

Red elderberry

Common elder, or Elderberry (lat. Sambúcus racemosa)

Red elderberry is widespread in Eurasia and North America. The Western European part of the range covers the Mediterranean countries and the countries of Central and of Eastern Europe. In Russia the plant is distributed from western borders before Pacific Ocean. The plant is found in China, Korea and Japan, as well as in Canada and the USA (including Alaska).

Use in medicine

The flowers and fruits of the plant are used in folk medicine. When treating colds, bronchial asthma, headaches and rheumatism, drink an infusion of flowers. An infusion of flowers is used as an external rinse for acute tonsillitis (tonsillitis) and inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. Jelly made from the fruit is used as a laxative.

Red-fruited crow

The red-fruited crow grows in coniferous and mixed forests in the Far East, Siberia and the north of the European part of Russia.

Application in medicine

In the past, crow's roots were used in folk medicine for asthma and goiter. Currently, its use is limited in homeopathy for rheumatism and muscle inflammation.

In folk medicine, a decoction of the herb is used for general weakness and loss of strength, heart attacks, headaches and women's diseases(Vereshchagin et al., 1959). Fruits and herbs are used for gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, enterocolitis, as an antitumor agent for stomach cancer; decoction of herbs with berries - for gastralgia. Infusions and decoctions from rhizomes are used for uterine bleeding, leucorrhoea, delayed menstruation, pulmonary tuberculosis, and diseases of the nervous system. The plant is also used for malaria, rheumatism, asthma, goiter, skin diseases, as a soothing central nervous system and a cardiovascular agent (Schreter, 1975; Krylov, Stepanov, 1979). In Tibetan medicine, a decoction of the herb is used for headaches, pain in the heart and gynecological diseases.

The positive effect of Voronets preparations as a cardiovascular and sedative has been established. According to E.Yu. Chass, there are several known cases of curing inoperable forms of stomach cancer with grass and crowberry fruits.

A decoction of rhizomes or infusion is used for female diseases and general weakness. An infusion of the herb is used in Tibetan medicine and in Siberia for gastrointestinal and nervous diseases, headaches, and heart attacks.

Bittersweet nightshade is a subshrub with a long curly stem (up to 2 m, and favorable conditions and more), with a woody base.
The leaves are ovate-pointed.
The flowers are purple, in drooping racemes.
Blooms from late May to September.
The fruits are red, bittersweet, poisonous berries that ripen in June - October.

Distribution of Red Nightshade

Red nightshade is widespread in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Siberia and the Far East along the banks of reservoirs, damp places, and among bushes. Often found in populated areas, on the outskirts of villages, between vegetable gardens, and on garbage heaps. Often bittersweet nightshade is grown on personal plots, as a decorative vine.

Poisonous parts of Red Nightshade
The leaves, stem and fruits of nightshade are poisonous. As it matures poisonous properties The berries of bittersweet nightshade, unlike black nightshade, do not disappear, since in addition to the poisonous glycoalkaloid solanine, which disappears when the berries ripen, there are also other toxic substances, in particular solidulcine and dulcamarin.

Symptoms of poisoning
Symptoms of poisoning with bittersweet nightshade are the same as for poisoning with other plants containing solanine and similar glycoalkaloids - abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, depression of motor and mental activity, difficulty breathing, cardiovascular failure. First aid is gastric lavage.


Poisonous berries picture, photo - red nightshade

Belladonna

Also known under the names belladonna, belladonna, sleepy stupor, crazy berry, crazy cherry (Atropa belladonna) - a plant of the nightshade family. Perennial herbaceous plant 1-2 m high with an erect, thick green or violet-colored stem, forked-branched at the top.
The leaves are petiolate, broadly lanceolate, alternate, but close in pairs, and one is always much larger than the others.
Belladonna flowers are single, drooping, emerging from the axils upper leaves, bell-shaped, dirty purple (sometimes yellow) color.
Blooms from June until late autumn.
The fruit is a shiny black-blue poisonous berry, flattened-spherical, juicy, sweet and sour, the size of a cherry.

Spread of Belladonna
Belladonna is widespread in the Crimea, the Caucasus, and the Carpathians. Found in clearings, forest edges, and shady meadows.

Poisonous parts of Belladonna
All parts of the plant are poisonous. Poisoning more often occurs in children who are attracted to the poisonous belladonna berries that resemble cherries or grapes (even 2-3 berries can cause severe poisoning in a child). They, as well as other parts of the plant, contain very poisonous alkaloids such as atropine, hyoscyamine, scopolamine, etc.

Symptoms of poisoning
Signs of poisoning appear within 10-20 minutes. In case of mild poisoning, dryness and burning in the mouth and throat, difficulty swallowing and speaking, rapid heartbeat. The voice becomes hoarse. The pupils are dilated and do not react to light. Near vision is impaired. Photophobia, flickering of spots before the eyes. Dryness and redness of the skin. Excitement, sometimes delusions and hallucinations. In severe poisoning, complete loss of orientation, sudden motor and mental agitation, and sometimes convulsions.


Poisonous berries picture, photo - belladonna

Calla lily (calla lily) marsh

Swamp whitewing is a succulent, thick-rhizomatous, creeping hydrophyte (a plant that grows half in water) 20-40 cm high with large shiny round-heart-shaped leaves (15-20 cm) on long petioles. The cob-shaped inflorescence is surrounded by white (with reverse side green), leaf-shaped blanket.
The fruits are juicy red poisonous berries collected in clusters.
It blooms in May and June, the fruits ripen from the end of June.

Distribution of Whitefly

The marsh whitewing is widespread throughout Russia in swamps and marshy banks of reservoirs.

Poisonous parts of the Whitefly

The entire plant is poisonous, especially the poisonous berries and rhizomes. Calla contains pungent saponin-like compounds, as well as volatile substances such as aroin with irritating properties.

Symptoms of Whitefly Poisoning
Nausea, vomiting, salivation, diarrhea, shortness of breath, tachycardia, convulsions. First aid is gastric lavage and laxatives.


Poisonous berries picture, photo - marsh whitewing

Euonymus

Euonymus is deciduous shrub(sometimes a small tree) 3-4 meters tall, with “classic” elongated leaves, greenish small inconspicuous flowers.
Euonymus blooms in May-June. The fruits fully ripen in September-October.
The fruits are beautiful bright pink four-part capsules containing usually black seeds inside, covered (sometimes not completely) with fleshy orange or red pulp. As they ripen, the boxes open up.

Spread of Euonymus
Euonymus is found in the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, some species grow in the Far East (up to Eastern Siberia), Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands.

Poisonous parts of Euonymus
Everything about the euonymus is poisonous - roots, bark, leaves, but the greatest danger is posed by poisonous berries, which attract bright view.

Symptoms of Euonymus poisoning
Eating poisonous euonymus berries causes vomiting and diarrhea; large doses of berries can cause intestinal bleeding.


Poisonous berries picture, photo - euonymus

Privet (Wolf Berries)

Privet is a genus of rather heat-loving shrubs of the olive family. Common privet is a deciduous shrub up to 5 meters high.
The leaves are simple, opposite. The inflorescences are white, similar to lilac flowers, also collected in panicles.
The fruit is a black berry. Privet blooms in May-July, after the leaves appear on it. Privet
The berries are poisonous, ripen in September-October and do not fall off for a long time.

Distribution of Privet
In the territory former USSR V natural form common privet is found. Its distribution area is the southwestern part of Russia, the Caucasus, Ukraine and Moldova.

Poisonous parts of Privet
The leaves and berries of the plant are poisonous. It is unlikely that anyone will eat the leaves, but the berries are quite similar to bird cherries.

Symptoms of Privet poisoning
After eating poisonous privet berries, diarrhea, colic, weakness, loss of coordination, convulsions occur within 1-2 hours, and in severe cases, death is possible.


Poisonous berries picture, photo - privet

Elderberry herbal (smelly)

Elderberry herbal - herbaceous perennial The honeysuckle family has an unpleasant odor, a thick creeping rhizome, a thick furrowed (sometimes sparsely pubescent) stem 60-170 cm high.
Leaves with stipules, large (17-25 cm), pinnate with 7-11 pointed leaflets, pubescent along the veins.
The inflorescence of the grass elder is an umbrella-shaped panicle. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, white or reddish. Elderberry blooms in May - June.
The fruits of the grass elder are small black berry-shaped drupes with 3-4 seeds and red juice. The herbaceous elderberry bears fruit in August - September.

Distribution of Elderberry herbal
Elderberry is widespread in the southern part of Russia in the foothills and mountains, along the edges of forests and subalpine meadows. Often found as a weed.

Poisonous parts of Elderberry herbal
Elderberry leaves and flowers are poisonous. Unripe elderberry berries are especially poisonous.

Symptoms of Elderberry poisoning
The main symptoms of poisoning from poisonous elderberry berries are dizziness, headache, weakness, sore throat, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting. Characteristic staining of mucous membranes is Blue colour as a result of accumulation of oxyhemoglobin in the venous blood. Tachycardia gives way to bradycardia in the later stages. There is shortness of breath with a delay in exhalation, convulsions are possible. Death occurs from respiratory arrest due to acute heart failure.


Poisonous berries picture, photo - herbal elderberry

Wolfberry, daphne

Daphne - a low shrub is popularly called wolf's bast or wolfberry. In April, daphne branches are a meter and a half high, almost completely strewn with bunches of bright pink flowers, very similar to the color of lilac. From flowering plants a delicate, unique aroma spreads. Daphne leaves are narrow and dark green. Poisonous berries are oval, first green, then red, ripen in late July-August.

Distribution of Wolfberry
Wolfberry grows in the north of the European part of Russia, Western and Eastern Siberia, and the Caucasus. Prefers coniferous and mixed forests. It is also found in deciduous forests.

Poisonous parts of Wolfberry
Wolfberry flowers are poisonous. When inhaling daphne pollen, irritation of the mucous membranes of the nose and respiratory tract is observed. Not only the flowers are poisonous, but the entire plant. It is not for nothing that one of the names of daphne is deadly wolfberry.
Wolf bast bark has an unusually bitter taste and, when put into the mouth, causes a burning and scratching sensation. Subsequently, blisters and ulcers form on the mucous membranes. Touching the wet bark of daphne or wolfberry to the skin can lead to the formation of ulcers.
The juice of the leaves and poisonous berries of wolf bast is no less pungent. Getting wolfberry juice into your eyes is extremely dangerous. This threatens the formation of difficult-to-heal corneal lesions.

Symptoms of Wolf Bast poisoning

After eating poisonous berries, you may experience a burning sensation in the mouth, pain in the stomach, nausea, vomiting, weakness, and possible convulsions. But wolf bast contains not only meserein, which is highly irritating to the skin and mucous membranes, but also other toxic substances, in particular several types of coumarins, which cause increased bleeding.


Poisonous berries picture, photo - wolfberry

Black Voronets or Actea spicata

Voronets spica is a perennial poisonous herbaceous plant up to 80 cm high, with a thin branched stem, with large, long-stalked, double and triple pinnate leaves. The edges of the leaves are coarsely toothed.
The flowers are white or cream, small, collected in a fluffy panicle.
The berries are initially green, when ripe they are black, glossy, large, oval-cylindrical with a clearly visible trace of the perianth. The berries are collected in a brush.

Distribution of Black Voronets

Black spicate crow grows in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Western Siberia, and Altai, but is quite rare. Prefers shady, damp places in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests. Usually grows in thickets of bushes and trees. The black raven does not like open spaces. It blooms in May-June, the berries ripen in July-August.

Poisonous parts of Voronets spica
The entire plant is very poisonous. The berries of the black crow are especially poisonous.

Symptoms of Voronets spica poisoning

The sap of the plant is irritating to human skin, leading to the formation of blisters. And even a small amount of poisonous berry pulp is enough to cause severe gastrointestinal upset.


Poisonous berries picture, photo - black crow

Red-fruited crow (red; spiky red)

Red-fruited crowberry is a perennial herbaceous plant. The stems are thin, up to 70 cm high.

The leaves are usually triply pinnate and serrated along the edges. Appearance The red-fruited crow is very similar to the spicate crow, but differs from it, first of all, in the color of the fruits, slightly smaller berries, and also in the lighter color of the leaves.
The flowers are small, white, collected in a vertical panicle.
The berries of the red crow are elongated-oval, medium in size, green at first, turning white as they ripen and then turning red. Located on a vertical brush.

Distribution of Red-fruited Voronets

The red-fruited crow grows in coniferous and mixed forests in the Far East, Siberia and the north of the European part of Russia.

Poisonous parts of Voronets redfruit

All parts of the plant are poisonous. The most toxic are the berries of the red crow. Eating just two poisonous berries for a child can end tragically. But accidental poisoning by the berries of the red crowberry is hardly possible, since the plant has bad smell, and the berries are very bitter.

Symptoms of poisoning
Signs of poisoning from red crow berries are nausea, dizziness, increased heart rate, severe upset gastrointestinal tract.


Poisonous berries picture, photo - Red Voronets

Crow's eye

Crow's eye - perennial Very characteristic appearance. A low stem framed by spreading, usually four (less often, as in the photo, five) wide leaves ends in one single inconspicuous greenish flower that blooms in July-June. Then the raven's eye turns the flower into one berry, which turns black by autumn. The raven's eye is also known as cross-grass.

Spread of Crow's Eye
The raven's eye grows in the shady damp places coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests throughout the temperate zone of Russia from Europe to Far East. Crow's eye is considered medicinal plant, but it is better not to collect or use it yourself, since crow’s eye is a poisonous plant.

Poisonous parts of the Crow's Eye
The crow's eye berry, like other parts of the plant, is poisonous. The plant contains saponins and cardiac glycosides.

Symptoms of Crow's Eye Poisoning
Poisoning with poisonous berries or other parts of the crow's eye causes irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, a sharp drop in heart rate to 60-40 or less beats per minute, cardiac arrhythmia, ventricular flutter and cardiac arrest.

Poisonous berries picture, photo - Lily of the valley

First aid for berry poisoning

  • Never pick or taste berries that you do not know.
  • If you come to the forest with a child, then do not leave him unattended for a minute. Keep an eye on what berries he eats.
  • If you come to an area unknown to you and the nature there is not entirely familiar to you, be sure to check with local residents, study the literature, look at websites on the Internet and find out what poisonous plants are typical for this area.
  • Poisonous berries are actually dangerous only for those who do not know them by sight.

If symptoms of poisoning occur, such as fever, diarrhea, vomiting, convulsions, etc., seek medical help immediately. While the doctor is on his way to you, do not sit idly by. After all, sometimes the arrival of an ambulance can take more than one hour.

The most first aid for poisoning with poisonous berries consists of stimulating vomiting - this procedure will free the stomach from toxic contents. To do this, the victim needs to be given 2-4 glasses of water (you can add Activated carbon- 2 tbsp. per 500 ml, salt - 1 tsp. per 500 ml or potassium permanganate). In case of poisoning by poisonous berries, the procedure will have to be carried out several times. From medicines It is recommended to give the patient activated carbon, tannin, as well as any laxative and cardiac remedy. If you have seizures, you will have to use chloral hydrate. If there is no first aid kit, you can give the patient black crackers, starch solution or milk. It would also not hurt to do an enema (if possible). A victim of poisoning from poisonous berries should be wrapped warmly and taken to a doctor.

Previously on the topic:

Deadly wolfberry, Wolf's bast, Wolf's berries, Common wolfberry, Plokhovets, Pukhlyak - all these are the names of one plant - common wolfberry(Daphne mezereum), belonging to the wolf family (Thymelaeaceae).

Common wolfberry is found almost throughout Europe, in Transcaucasia. In Russia, it grows throughout the forest zone of the European part and Western Siberia, the North Caucasus, and Dagestan.

We have known since childhood that the Wolf's Bast plant is poisonous. It was even specially called “Wolf Berries” so that, God forbid, the children would not get poisoned. And they weren’t even allowed to come close to him.

Common wolfberry is a low-branched deciduous shrub up to 1.5 meters tall. Root system common wolfberry superficial. The yellowish-gray, slightly wrinkled bark will help you identify the shrub. In central Russia, the common wolfberry is blooming in early spring, before all the bushes.

The leaves of the wolfberry are narrow, oblong, oblanceolate, simple, growing alternately at the ends of the shoots. They are dark green in color, smooth on top, slightly shiny, bluish below, ciliated at the edges, up to 8 cm in length and up to 2 cm in width.

Bright pink fragrant honey-bearing flowers of wolf's bast are arranged in a “bouquet” of 3-5 pieces in the axils of last year’s fallen leaves.

It's very interesting what's going on pollination of common wolfberry. Its flowers have a pronounced protogyny - earlier maturation of female reproductive organs compared to male ones.

The bright flowers of the common wolfberry appear in the forest before the leaves of the trees bloom. Pollinating insects - bees, butterflies - are attracted to the nectar secreted at the base of the ovary.

When the insect's proboscis penetrates the perianth tube, pollen from the anthers surrounding the tube does not stick to it, since it is not sticky. Next, the bee's proboscis touches the stigma, located much lower, and, finally, the nectaries. The nectar makes the proboscis sticky, and when the insect pulls it out, it comes into contact with the anthers again. This time the pollen sticks to the proboscis and is thus transferred to another flower.

After such fertilization, a fruit is formed in place of the flowers - a juicy ovoid red berry-drupe up to 8 mm long. The fruits of the common wolfberry ripen in late July - early August. Inside the berry is a shiny seed up to 4 mm in diameter.

Common wolfberry is occasionally planted in gardens as ornamental plant, notable for its early flowering in spring and colorful fruits in autumn. But due to the toxicity of the plant, its use for decorative purposes is limited.

All parts of the common wolfberry, and especially the fruits, contain a sharply burning poisonous juice. The use of the plant for medicinal purposes is prohibited.

Poisoning can occur when eating berries (often by children) or chewing the bark. When the skin comes into contact with wet bark or when plant sap gets on it, severe dermatitis occurs. Inhalation of dust from the bark of the common wolfberry causes irritation of the mucous membranes of the pharynx and respiratory tract, and contact with the eyes irritates the conjunctiva. After eating the berries, there is a burning sensation in the mouth, pain in the epigastric region, nausea, vomiting, weakness, and possible convulsions.

When writing this article, materials from https://ru.wikipedia.org were used
Image source https://www.flickr.com: Hornet Arts, C. E. Timothy Paine, naturgucker.de / enjoynature.net