Mid-April

Hello friends, April has been rushing by and we are about a month away from the end of the semester. I haven’t had much time to work on my research as I have been busy with classes. But, this research always gets me in a good mood so I’ll be spending this weekend working on it. This week I have been studying Helenium Autumnale, otherwise known as ‘Sneezeweed’. This is a prairie wildflower that blooms from June to October. There are many Helenium varieties but the Autumnale is the one on my list. It is known to be toxic to grazing animals such as sheep. It upsets their stomach. This seems very odd seeing how it has been used by humans as a remedy for colds and diseases of the chest. I have yet to find how the plant was prepared. Have a wonderful week! -Wendy

References: • Elecampane. (2018). In P. Lagasse, & Columbia University, The Columbia encyclopedia (8th ed.). Columbia University Press. Credo Reference: https://ezproxy.pc.maricopa.edu/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/columency/elecampane/0?institutionId=5317 • Wang et al. (2018) Total sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Inula helenium L. attenuates 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in mice. Phytomedicine. Volume 46, Pages 78-84. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944711318301363 • https://www.izelplants.com/native-perennials/helenium-autumnale-common-sneezeweed/

Fagopyrum Esculentum

This week, I studied Fagopyrum Esculentum, otherwise known as Buckwheat. This plant was originally tagged for me as toxic by the USDA website. It was really surprising to find out that it is known as Buckwheat and is used for purposes for human consumption. Not only is it high in nutrients, but it is also flavorful. “So, why is this classified as toxic?” said I. Well, it turns out, the plant is toxic, but the ripe seeds are not toxic! The ripe seeds are the parts that are used for making buckwheat flour. The plant itself, on the other hand, contains Fagopyrin. This chemical reacts to ultraviolet rays when it is already inside the body! This happens particularly in non-pigmented skin. It irritates the blood vessels and it sometimes takes up to three months to recuperate. In this picture, you can see the effects of the Fagopyrin chemical on the non-pigmented parts of the horse but not on the pigmented, brown, areas.

(2019) Guide to Poisonous Plants. Colorado State University, James L. Voss. Veterinary Teaching Hospital. https://csuvth.colostate.edu/poisonous_plants/Plants/Details/44 Kiprovski, B. et al. (2015) Comparison of Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Properties of European Fagopyrum Escalentum Cultivars. Food Chemistry. Volume 112, Issue 1, 1 January 2009, Pages 120-124. Elsevier Ltd.

April 1st

 Today while driving home from lab, I came across a podcast that made my drive home very enjoyable.  Not only was it enjoyable, but it was also informative and inspiring.

On the podcast, they were interviewing Dr. Marilyn Glassberg.

She spoke about the research her and her team did when the Covid-19 virus started. She mentioned the research some students had done was purely literary reviews, just like my current research. I had always thought meaningful research was the kind that involves a lab, so doing this research by researching literary reviews has not been as motivating as I hoped it would be. But, hearing about these students making a difference with their literary reviews has inspired me deeply. I am seeing my project with brand new eyes and enthusiasm.

So, for a little talk about my research this week.. here’s a little bit of food for thought: Apocynum Cannabinum, also known as ‘Dogbane’. Was used by natives in the Americas not only for its strong fibers to make ropes and baskets. But, it was also used for all kinds of ailments such as: headaches and cardiac issues. The root is able to be made into a mixture that helps hair grow and gets rid of dandruff.

 

Until next time,

Wendy

 

If you would like to listen to the podcast previously mentioned, go to:

https://phoenixmed.arizona.edu/podcasts , Episode 17 – Crisis Leadership: Innovating Treatment Protocols to Battle COVID-19

 

References:

Stevens, Michelle. (2000, December). Plant Guide Plant Materials Plant Fact Sheet/Guide Coordination Page National Plant Data Center INDIAN HEMP Apocynum cannabinum L. United States Department of Agriculture- Natural Resources Conservation Service. https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_apca.pdf

March 11, 2021

Hello there, and welcome back! These past two weeks have been a bit rough as midterms approached but I'm back and ready to go. Today I would like to talk about my research proposal. It's taken some thinking and re-thinking but I think it's finally getting clear as to where it is going. 

My topic: Beneficial Properties of the Most Toxic Plants in Arizona

I selected this topic because I would like to know which plants in my community are toxic to me and my loved ones but also to find out what kind of benefits they might bring about. Just like people, there might be something good about them. This topic is of significant importance because some plants might be beneficial to humans regardless of their toxicity. Specifying their benefits to humanity will help preserve plants that would otherwise be discarded and or destroyed by human habitants. It is important to educate the public so they can make more informed decisions regarding the plants on their properties. By educating the public, we can stop or slow down the destruction of commonly known toxic plants in our community.

I plan on doing this research by literature review. There is a vast amount of information available from published journals that can guide the research. The information will be compiled and focused on the five most toxic plants that are currently in Arizona. State Toxic Plants Types Native or non-native Toxic to Humans, Pets, or Both and their medicinal properties, if any.

Can a plant be both toxic and beneficial?

Thru this research, I expect to find which flowers and bushes are toxic, domestic or wild, as well as if they hold any beneficial properties. I expect to find more research explaining the effects on animals but not be as much research explaining the effects on humans.

The second Lantana- Lantana Camara

 

This week I studied Lantana Camara. I came across research explaining the toxic effects of animals eating Lantana Camara and how the toxicity manifests in the animal. The animals that have shown acute toxicity due to lantadenes are both ruminants and non-ruminants Ruminants are animals such as cattle and non-ruminants are animals such as rabbits. Lantadenes are toxins found in Lantana Camara. The precise names for these lantadenes are: Triterpene acids lantadene A and lantadene B. The most common symptoms of lantana toxicity in animals are: photosensitivity, inflammation in the eyes, and liver damage. If left untreated, it can cause death due to the liver and/ or organ failure and set in of secondary bacterial infection. They sure don't look as cute now.

  References:       

Cooper, R. G. (2007). Accidental Poisoning from Lantana camara (Cherry Pie) Hay Fed to Ostriches (Struthio camelus). Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, 31(3), 213–214.

 Kumar, R., Sharma, R., Patil, R. D., Mal, G., Kumar, A., Patial, V., Kumar, P., & Singh, B. (2018). Sub-chronic toxicopathological study of lantadenes of Lantana camara weed in Guinea pigs. BMC Veterinary Research, 14(1). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A546840360/AONE?u=mcc_phoe&sid=AONE&xid=bdd7c40f

February 18th, 2021

 

Hello,

This week, I am researching the plant locally known as “lantana”. After much research online, I was able to narrow down to the types of lantanas that are living in Arizona. Not really sure if I should say ‘living in Arizona’ or ‘native to Arizona’. It is still not clear to me if these plants were brought to Arizona or if they are native. The USDA has lantanas as both, native AND introduced to Arizona. Hopefully by next week I will have more information on how they came to be in this state. So far, I have discovered three types of lantanas in Arizona: Lantana Achyrandthifolia, Lantana Camara, and Lantana Urticoides. A couple of articles are mentioning Lantanas as having medicinal properties. This is contradicting to my prior beliefs since I was under the impression that lantanas were toxic. How can a plant be toxic AND have medicinal properties? That is something I plan on finding out. See you back here real soon.

A thousand thanks:

·         https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/java/stateSearch

·         Joloba, M., Kirimuhuzya, C., Odyek, O., & Waako, P.  (2009, March) The anti-mycobacterial activity of Lantana camara a plant traditionally used to treat symptoms of tuberculosis in South-western Uganda. African Health Sciences, US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2932521/#:~:text=Use%20of%20lantana%20extracts%20in,abdominal%20viscera%2C%20is%20also%20reported.

Image Copyrights: https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/230099/#b

Feb. 11th

Hello! And welcome to my blog. Although we don’t have access to a lab at this moment, learning doesn’t have to stop. This semester, I will be doing research on beautiful, yet poisonous plants here in Arizona.

The contenders on my list are:

Lantanas

Pothos (yes, those we tend to keep in the kitchen)

Desert thorn

Russian thistle

Water hemlock

I will be researching their benefits; whether they are toxic to humans, animals, or both; whether they are native or were they introduced to our landscape, and if they are invasive. Towards the end of my research, I will also be hiking the most popular nearby mountains and try to spot any of these plants out in nature to see how easy or hard it is to come across these plants in nature. No, I will not be tasting them.

Thanks for the information and encouraging articles:

Agredano, Rene. (2016, October). 6 Dangerous Desert Plants To Avoid In The Outdoors. RV Life. https://rvlife.com/dangerous-desert-plants-rvers/

(2014, October). Poisonous Plants. Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center. The University of Arizona. https://azpoison.com/poison/plants/poisonous-plants

Schalau, Jeff. (2018, August). Poisonous Landscape Plants, Backyard Gardener - Yavapai County Cooperative Extension. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. https://extension.arizona.edu/poisonous-landscape-plants