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Hi Jim & All, Sept 21, 2006
Thanks to Marian for checking this source, and who knows, it may be
correct.
More often than not, databases could benefit from prolonged
administration of laxatives. For example, unless they have been recently
upgraded, the Materials Safety Data Sheets for Sodium Chloride contain
the same percautions, word for word, as the sheets for Nitric Acid,
Fuming Sulfuric Acid and a lot of other things that I would not want on
the dinner table.
For Anthraquinone, The Merck Index, 9th ed., indicates no serious
physiological effects i.e. "Caution: Low systemic toxicity, but may
cause skin irritation, sensitization." On the other hand, effects of a
chemical that is commonly found on the dinner table (Ethyl Alcohol)
include "Nausea, vomiting, flushing, mental excitement or depression,
drowsiness, impaired perception, incoordination, stupor, coma, death..."
This just illustrates the shortcomings of broad generalizations.
Formulation, context, dosage and no doubt many other considerations are
all important.
I have a test batch of R. frangula wine on the way and, at this
point, it smells like stagnant ditch water; not a good omen.
Yours truly, Dave Webster, Kentville
Jim Wolford wrote:
>David et al., here is an informative response from Marian [Zinck] Munro at
>the N.S. Museum of Nat. History:
>
>Thanks, Marian! from Jim
>----------
>From: Marian Munro <zinckmc@gov.ns.ca>
>Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 16:19:11 -0300
>To: jimwolford@eastlink.ca
>Subject: Re: more on buckthorn
>
>Hi Jim.
>
>One quick way to find out (they are considered toxic by the feds) is to
>call Poison Control in Halifax and ask what their database says. I will
>do [have done?] just that:
>
>R. cathartica
>R. frangula
>
>Contains anthraquinones causing GI [gastro-intestinal tract]: nausea,
>dizziness, abdominal pain, vomiting, drastic cathartic that can be fatal.
>
>Can cause kidney damage.
>
>20 berries of either species is enough to produce symptoms.
>
>>From Diane at the Poison Control Centre, IWK.
>
>Perhaps you would share this with all who ask.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Marian
>
>
>
>Marian C. Munro
>Curator of Botany
>Secretary, CBA/ABC
>Nova Scotia Museum
>Collections Section
>1747 Summer St.
>Halifax, NS B3H 3A6
>Canada
>
>902-424-3564
>
>>>>Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca> 09/20/06 10:58 AM >>>
>>>>
>
>Dave, your description of how aggressive Rhamnus frangula is near Kentville
>also fits the Wolfville area very well indeed.
>
>Just ask George Alliston about his least-favourite plant, whereever he
>is trying to re-establish more natural plant communities.
>
>A great example of buckthorn aggression can be found north of
>Skyway Drive along the Acadia Woodland Trails (south of the Irving
>Centre) -- oodles of R. frangula loaded with berries.
>
>We also have a fair amount of Rhamnus cathartica in Wolfville, but it
>seems to be much less aggressive. I am unfamiliar with R. alnifolia.
>
>I don't know anything about edibility or other uses of the berries,
>which are incredibly abundant in R. frangula.
>
>And I wonder how important the fruits have become for wildlife?
>
>Cheers from Jim in Wolfville
>----------
>From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
>Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 18:53:49 -0300
>To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca
>Subject: [NatureNS] Buckthorn
>
>Dear All, Sept 19, 2006
> Does anyone have direct experience with Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)
>fruit ?
>
> It took a while to get rolling, 300 years more or less, but near
>Kentville it apparently now knows how introduced plants are supposed to
>act and is very agressive in waste places, glades, clear-cuts and edges.
>
> An extract of the bark (Frangula, which contains frangulin) was at
>one time used as a laxative but I have no definite information on the
>fruit. I have recently eaten one fruit, less seeds and skin, on each of
>two occasions with no effects. A handfull might be a different matter
>but the warning about R. alnifolia that 'Them is terrible things for the
>guts' indicates caution. They were fairly sweet and juicy but without
>obvious flavor.
>
> I wonder if they could be used for wine.
>
> Yours truly, Dave Webster, Kentville
>
>
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