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Actaea
Also called Bugbane, Cohosh, Baneberry, Bugbane, Baneberries And Cohoshes, Baneberries
Actaea, commonly called baneberry, bugbane and cohosh, is a genus of flowering plants of the family Ranunculaceae, native to subtropical, temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America.
Baneberry contains cardiac toxins that can have an immediate sedative effect on human cardiac muscle. The berries are the most poisonous part of the plant (hence the name baneberry), but all parts of the plant have some level of toxicity. Baneberries contain the glycoside ranunculin and other irritant compounds. The particular Actaea species Actaea pachypoda (white baneberry or "doll’s eyes") and Actaea rubra (red baneberry) are toxic to humans primarily due to protoanemonin. Protoanemonin is produced when plant tissue is damaged, such as by chewing, and it acts as a potent irritant to the mucous membranes. When ingested, it can cause symptoms such as a burning sensation in the mouth and throat, excessive salivation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. In addition to protoanemonin, baneberry contains other compounds with cardiotoxic effects. These can interfere with heart function, leading to symptoms such as dizziness, heart palpitations, and in severe cases, cardiac arrest and death.
Arizona bugbane · Asian Baneberry · Tall bugbane · Komarov’s Bugbane · Jejudo Bugbane · Actaea matsumurae · White baneberry · Mountain bugbane · Black cohosh · Appalachian bugbane · Red baneberry · Actaea simplex
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Actaea (plant) by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
