Botanical Toxins, Medicinal Plants, and Global Crop Diversity

Whole leaf swallowing

Trema orientalis from Cannanaceae fam for parasites

Wild frenzy due to stimulants

Tabernanthe iboga from Apocynaceae fam

Bitter pith chewing

vernonia amygdalina from Asteraceae fam

Bacterial mediators

quorum-sensing, morphogens, bacterial lipid-based, phytohormones, vitamins

Mediterranean

oats, wheat, lettuce

Asia

wheat

Africa

sorghum, yam, teff, wheat

Near Eastern

wheat, lentil, barley

Indonesia

rice, yam, banana

Hindustani

rice, citrus

Europe

lettuce

North America

blueberry

South American

potato and cassava

Central America

potato and corn

Aspergillus terrus

source of lovastatin can make simvastatin, lowers cholesterol

Amanita

poisonous mushroom genus, associated w/a-amitin

Malaseevia

fungus associated with human skin

Candida

yeast/fungus associated with humans

Cyanotoxins

microcystis, cylindrospermopsis, anatoxin-a, saxitosin

Catharanthus

Madagascar periwinkle, vinblastine, cancer treatment (from apocynaceae fam)

Salix

willow, related aspirin

Taxus

yew, taxol to cancer drug

Curcuma

turmeric, spice/medicinal

Zingiber

ginger, spice/medical

cycas/zamia

cycads to cyasin which causes GC to MeGT mutation

BMAA

neurotoxic produced by cyanobacteria associated with cycad collaroid roots, replaces L-serine

Abrus

rosary pea, abrin, highly toxic lectin/ribosome inactivating protein (fabaceae fam)

Ricinus

castor bean to ricin, highly toxic lectin/ribosome inactivating protein (Euphorbiaceae fam)

B chain of abrin/ricin

binds to cells and helps toxin enter cell

A chain of abrin/ricin

inactivates ribosomes and stops protein synthesis

Phaseolus

kidney beans, contain phytohemagglutinin (related to blood typing) belongs to fabaceae fam

Linen

flax, linum, linaceae

Silk

mulberry, morus, moraceae

Cotton

gossypium, malvaceae

Tropane alkaloids

secondary metabolites that target Acetylcholine receptors

Solanaceae fam

Cyanogenic glycosides

secondary metabolites that target cyanide and can cause respiration problem

rosaceae fam

Cardiac glycosides

secondary metabolites that target sodium potassium pump

apocynaceae

Asteraceae fam

yarrow (Achillea), boneset (eupatorium), wormwood (artemisia)

Poison ivy

toxicodendron, Anacardiaceae family

Cyanotoxins effecting liver

microcystin, nodularin, cylindrosperopsin

Cyanotoxins effecting nerve synapse

anatoxin-a, saxitoxin

Arthrospira

platensis, fusiformis, maxima

Papaver

morphine, opioid