In the realm of African natural splendid, two plants stand out for their lethal potential: the foxglove and the yellow oleander. Both are beautiful to behold when looked from afar, yet they harbor deadly secrets within their vibrant blooms and lush leaves. The foxglove, with its tall spires of purple flowers, and the yellow oleander, with its clusters of golden blooms, are both known for their toxic properties.
By AnemoneProjectors (talk) - Flickr: Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15648927
Foxglove contains chemicals called cardiac glycosides. These chemical components, or phytochemical as popularly called, can increase the strength of heart muscle contractions, change heart rate, and increase heart blood output. The plant is exploited for these chemicals in order to make a prescription drug called digoxin. However, long-term use of crude foxglove plant, either directly or by using its extracts, can lead to symptoms of toxicity, including visual halos, yellow-green vision, and stomach upset.
Similarly, yellow oleander also contains cardiac glycosides. Ingestion of this plant or its components can cause neurologic, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular adverse health effects that may be severe, or even fatal. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cardiac changes, and dysrhythmia.
According to a post I once read on Facebook, criminals usually use a combination of these two plants to carryout tasks of silent assassination. The assailant usually lace the food or drink of their victims with a combination of this plants, causing a death will never be traceable to poisoning.
Now, imagine a scenario where these two plants are used in a crime. A cunning criminal, aware of the toxic properties of both plants, devises a plan to poison a victim using a concoction made from foxglove and yellow oleander. The criminal believes that the effects of the two plants will cancel each other out, making the cause of death difficult to determine.
However, the criminal's plan is based on a dangerous misconception. The idea that the effects of foxglove and yellow oleander can cancel each other out is a myth. Both plants contain cardiac glycosides, which affect the heart in similar ways. Therefore, consuming a mixture of both plants would likely result in an increased concentration of cardiac glycosides in the body, potentially leading to a fatal overdose.
In this hypothetical crime, the victim would likely experience severe symptoms due to the combined effects of the foxglove and yellow oleander. These could include irregular or slow heartbeat, low blood pressure, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, excessive urination, fatigue, muscle weakness and tremors, stupor, confusion, convulsions, and abnormal heartbeats.
In conclusion, the idea that the effects of foxglove and yellow oleander can cancel each other out is a dangerous fallacy. Both plants contain similar toxic compounds that affect the heart, and consuming both would likely result in a fatal overdose. This serves as a stark reminder of the lethal potential of these beautiful but deadly plants, and the importance of understanding their effects on the human body.
Remember, nature is not always as benign as it appears. Even the most beautiful flowers can harbor deadly secrets. So, the next time you admire the vibrant blooms of the foxglove or the yellow oleander, remember the deadly dance they perform in the realm of toxicology. It's a dance that, once started, can have fatal consequences.
Resources
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-287/foxglove.
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-789/oleander.
- https://www.rxlist.com/supplements/foxglove.htm.
- https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-expands-warning-consumers-about-toxic-yellow-oleander-purported-be-nuez-de-la-india-certain.
- https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-warns-consumers-about-toxic-yellow-oleander-purported-be-nuez-de-la-india-certain-botanical.
- https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/todorganic-inc-recalls-nuez-de-la-india-seeds-product-due-possible-health-risk.
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002884.htm.
- https://www.motherearthliving.com/gardening/plant-profile/ORIGINS-OF-MEDICINE-Foxglove/.
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002878.htm.
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