Domestic poisonous plants and flowers. The most poisonous plants on earth

In nature, there is always a chance to stumble upon a poisonous plant. And if adults are likely to just walk by, then curious children who are eager to taste everything may suffer.

We remind you that many dangerous species plants are grown as ornamental and can be seen not only in the forest, but also on window sills and flower beds. Therefore, in the city, too, it is worth being vigilant.

Buttercup

Where does it meet: In the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; prefers damp places, swamps.

There are several types of buttercups, many of them are poisonous.

What is dangerous: Contains caustic sap that can burn skin. When it comes into contact with mucous membranes, it provokes coughing and spasms of the larynx. If the juice gets into the eye, it can cause temporary blindness.

Milestone poisonous

Where does it meet: In Europe, Asia and North America. It grows in very damp places, in swamps and river banks.

Deceptively smells like carrots, but this is one of the most poisonous plants on Earth. Only a botanist can distinguish it from dozens of other umbrella species. It's better to just not tear plants that look like milestones and grow in damp places.

What is dangerous: In case of poisoning, vomiting, convulsions, depression of cardiac activity occur, and death may occur. Only 100-200 g of milestone rhizome will easily kill a cow.

Elder

Where does it meet: Temperate Northern Hemisphere, Australia.

The most common representatives are red and black elderberry. All parts of the plant are poisonous, and if you've just touched an elder, it's best to wash your hands. Interestingly, black berries are completely safe when ripe, they are used to make drinks and pies.

What is dangerous: provokes headache, weakness, abdominal pain, sometimes convulsions. Possible heart failure and respiratory arrest.

Oleander

Where does it meet: In tropical and subtropical regions. Used in landscape design, all over the world it is grown as an indoor flower.

A truly insidious plant that attracts with its pleasant aroma and beautiful pink or white flowers.

What is dangerous: Contains cardiac glycosides, which can alter heart rhythm, cause vomiting, headache, weakness, and even death. There is a legend that Napoleon's soldiers, out of ignorance, made a fire from oleander branches and fried meat on it. The next morning, some of the soldiers did not wake up.

Aconite, or Wrestler

Where does it meet: In Europe, Asia and North America. Because of the beautiful purple, blue and yellowish flowers, it is grown in flower beds. It is a tall and conspicuous plant.

AT ancient world it was used to poison arrows. Even bees can get poisoned if they collect honey from aconite. By the way, the delphinium is its close relative, and it is also poisonous.

What is dangerous: A VERY poisonous plant. Causes abnormal heart rhythm, numbness of the skin of the face, arms and legs, darkening of the eyes and death. Juice penetrates even through the skin.

Datura vulgaris

Where does it meet: In North and Central America, Europe, southern regions of Russia.

Datura resembles a potato or a tomato, which is not surprising, because it is their close relative. This is an inconspicuous plant with thorny fruits-boxes with black seeds inside. Its white flowers emit an intoxicating scent.

What is dangerous: Contains alkaloids that cause palpitations, disorientation and delirium. In severe cases, death or coma is possible. Shamans of many nations used this plant in their rituals.

hogweed

Where does it meet: In the temperate regions of Eurasia, one species exists in the USA.

Just a giant among the umbrellas, which looks quite impressive, but it is better not to take pictures next to it.

What is dangerous: Some species contain furanocoumarins, which cause painful burns when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, if hogweed juice gets on your hand, wash it and protect it from sunlight for about two days.

Spurge

Where does it meet: Everywhere. It can often be seen on window sills, including in children's institutions.

Euphorbia includes a huge number of species, often they are very different in appearance: some look like cacti, others look like flowers. Teach children not to touch unfamiliar plants, even if they are in pots.

What is dangerous: Juice leaves burns. Later, malaise, swelling and fever join.

wavy rhubarb

Where does it meet: Cultivated in Europe, Russia and the USA.

In many countries, pies, salads and sauces are made from rhubarb. And many are not averse to just crunching the stem.

What is dangerous: Not everyone knows, but you can’t eat the leaves and the root of this plant, as they contain an incredible amount of oxalic acid and its salts. They can cause burning eyes and mouth, kidney problems, vomiting and diarrhea.

Belladonna, or Beauty

Where does it meet: In North Africa, Europe, southern Russia, Asia Minor, in some parts of North America.

It looks like a bush with black berries and pinkish flowers. Contains the alkaloid atropine, which causes pupil dilation. In the Middle Ages, drops of belladonna were dropped into the eyes to make them look more attractive. Now similar drops are used for eye operations.

What is dangerous: At mild poisoning dryness and burning in the mouth, palpitations appear. In severe cases, complete loss of orientation, sometimes convulsions and death.

Castor bean

Where does it meet: In tropical, subtropical and temperate zones. It is grown as ornamental plant due to unusual look including in pots.

It is made from castor bean Castor oil. But don't worry, steaming destroys all the toxins.

What is dangerous: Probably the most dangerous plant ever. Contains extremely toxic compounds - ricin and ricinin. The seeds are especially poisonous - only 4-9 pieces will cause death if eaten. Smaller doses cause irreparable harm to health, as ricin destroys body tissues.

In nature, there is always a chance to stumble upon a poisonous plant. And if adults are likely to just walk by, then curious children who are eager to taste everything may suffer.

We remind you that many very dangerous plant species are grown as ornamentals and can be seen not only in the forest, but also on window sills and flower beds.

Therefore, in the city, too, it is worth being vigilant.

Buttercup

Where does it meet: In the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; prefers damp places, swamps.

There are several types of buttercups, many of them are poisonous.

What is dangerous: Contains caustic sap that can burn skin. When it comes into contact with mucous membranes, it provokes coughing and spasms of the larynx. If the juice gets into the eye, it can cause temporary blindness.

Milestone poisonous

Where does it meet: In Europe, Asia and North America. It grows in very damp places, in swamps and river banks.

Deceptively smells like carrots, but this is one of the most poisonous plants on Earth. Only a botanist can distinguish it from dozens of other umbrella species. It's better to just not tear plants that look like milestones and grow in damp places.

What is dangerous: In case of poisoning, vomiting, convulsions, depression of cardiac activity occur, and death may occur. Only 100–200 g of milestone rhizome will easily kill a cow.

Elder

Where does it meet: Temperate Northern Hemisphere, Australia.

The most common representatives are red and black elderberry. All parts of the plant are poisonous, and if you've just touched an elder, it's best to wash your hands. Interestingly, black berries are completely safe when ripe, they are used to make drinks and pies.

What is dangerous: Provokes headache, weakness, abdominal pain, sometimes convulsions. Possible heart failure and respiratory arrest.

Oleander

Where does it meet: In tropical and subtropical regions. Used in landscaping, it is grown as an indoor flower all over the world.

A truly insidious plant that attracts with its pleasant aroma and beautiful pink or white flowers.

What is dangerous: Contains cardiac glycosides, which can alter heart rhythm, cause vomiting, headache, weakness, and even death. There is a legend that Napoleon's soldiers, out of ignorance, made a fire from oleander branches and fried meat on it. The next morning, some of the soldiers did not wake up.

Aconite, or Wrestler

Where does it meet: In Europe, Asia and North America. Because of the beautiful purple, blue and yellowish flowers, it is grown in flower beds. It is a tall and conspicuous plant.

In the ancient world, it was used to poison arrows. Even bees can get poisoned if they collect honey from aconite. By the way, the delphinium is its close relative, and it is also poisonous.

What is dangerous: A VERY poisonous plant. Causes abnormal heart rhythm, numbness of the skin of the face, arms and legs, darkening of the eyes and death. Juice penetrates even through the skin.

Datura vulgaris

Where does it meet: In North and Central America, Europe, southern regions of Russia.

Datura resembles a potato or a tomato, which is not surprising, because it is their close relative. This is an inconspicuous plant with thorny fruits-boxes with black seeds inside. Its white flowers emit an intoxicating scent.

What is dangerous: Contains alkaloids that cause palpitations, disorientation and delirium. In severe cases, death or coma is possible. Shamans of many nations used this plant in their rituals.

hogweed

Where does it meet: In the temperate regions of Eurasia, one species exists in the USA.

Just a giant among the umbrellas, which looks quite impressive, but it is better not to take pictures next to it.

What is dangerous: Some species contain furanocoumarins, which cause painful burns when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, if hogweed juice gets on your hand, wash it and protect it from sunlight for about two days.

Spurge

Where does it meet: Everywhere. It can often be seen on window sills, including in children's institutions.

Euphorbia includes a huge number of species, often they are very different in appearance: some look like cacti, others look like flowers. Teach children not to touch unfamiliar plants, even if they are in pots.

What is dangerous: Juice leaves burns. Later, malaise, swelling and fever join.

wavy rhubarb

Where does it meet: Cultivated in Europe, Russia and the USA.

In many countries, pies, salads and sauces are made from rhubarb. And many are not averse to just crunching the stem.

What is dangerous: Not everyone knows, but you can’t eat the leaves and the root of this plant, as they contain an incredible amount of oxalic acid and its salts. They can cause burning eyes and mouth, kidney problems, vomiting and diarrhea.

Belladonna, or Beauty

Where does it meet: In North Africa, Europe, southern Russia, Asia Minor, in some parts of North America.

It looks like a bush with black berries and pinkish flowers. Contains the alkaloid atropine, which causes pupil dilation. In the Middle Ages, drops of belladonna were dropped into the eyes to make them look more attractive. Now similar drops are used for eye operations.

What is dangerous: With mild poisoning, dryness and burning in the mouth, palpitations appear. In severe cases, complete loss of orientation, sometimes convulsions and death.

Castor bean

Where does it meet: In tropical, subtropical and temperate zones. It is grown as an ornamental plant due to its unusual appearance, including in pots.

Castor oil is made from castor beans. But don't worry, steaming destroys all the toxins.

What is dangerous: Probably the most dangerous plant ever. Contains extremely toxic compounds - ricin and ricinin. The seeds are especially poisonous - only 4–9 pieces will cause death if eaten. Smaller doses cause irreparable harm to health, as ricin destroys body tissues.

It's no secret that the natural world is extremely diverse and multifaceted. The gifts of our Earth, plants, we use every day. However, do not forget that among the representatives of the flora living in different parts of the world, there are a huge number of potentially dangerous to human life and health. Should not be underestimated possible harm from meeting with poisonous herbs, berries, mushrooms.

Belladonna's yellow and black berries are especially poisonous, however, the stems and leaves also contain poison.

From Belladonna, the chemical substance atropine was obtained, which has a rather strong effect on the central nervous system, for example, under its action pupils dilate.

This property of Belladonna made it a favorite potion of "beauty" among Italians in the old days, from there the name of the plant came from, which means " beautiful woman". Atropine is now used in traditional medicine. The action of such modern drugs, however, can hardly be called absolutely safe.

The first signs of Belladonna poisoning may be:

Possible hallucinations, disorder of consciousness.

The first aid in this case will be an emergency gastric lavage with potassium permanganate.

hogweed

This name of a poisonous plant is familiar to many, because only in our country there are more than 40 species of Hogweed (not all of them are poisonous).

It is not difficult to recognize it: the hogweed is large and, as a rule, tall plant(can reach 2.5 meters) with small white flowers collected in "umbrellas". Very often, Hogweed grows along country roads.

Its danger lies in the fact that this plant is capable of leaving a serious burn on the skin, especially on a sunny day. The reason for this is the substance furanocoumarins, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, they enhance their effect. The very touch of the leaves of Hogweed is painless in itself, until the sunlight begins to actively enter the site of the lesion. The consequences can be a second-degree burn. It is extremely dangerous for the juice of the plant to get into the eyes. The result can be complete or partial loss of vision.

As a first aid for a burn with Hogweed, you need to disinfect the affected area of ​​​​the skin with furatsilin or potassium permanganate and smear Bepanten ointment.

Hogweed must be disposed of by carefully cutting off the buds (strictly in closed clothing and gloves). It will also be useful to use herbicides.

Crow's eye four leaf

The raven eye is a poisonous plant, quite attractive in appearance: in the center is a rosette of 4 leaves, and above them is one bright purple berry. All parts of the Crow's Eye are dangerous to life and health: berries for the heart, leaves for the central nervous system, roots for the stomach. Children often become victims of this poisonous plant, they are attracted by unusual berries, somewhat similar to blueberries or blueberries.

Signs of poisoning, depending on the part eaten, will be sharp pains in the abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions or cardiac arrest.

If poisoning is suspected crow's eye it is necessary to do an urgent gastric lavage. It will not be superfluous to also take Regidron.

Consider 2 more poisonous plants common throughout Russia.

Lily of the valley

It is unlikely that anyone needs a visual description of the poisonous lily of the valley plant. Many have heard about the dangerous properties of this beautiful and beloved plant, but, nevertheless, few people take this information seriously. But in vain! Lily of the valley has very strong chemical properties, it is often used in minimal doses in pharmacology, and in general, it has proven itself well as an assistant in the fight against heart disease.

However, it is worth remembering that this plant is extremely poisonous and dangerous if thoughtlessly used on its own. Two or three berries eaten by a child during a walk in the forest can lead to a quick death!

With pallor of the skin, heart rhythm disturbance, weakness and nausea, it is urgent to induce vomiting, later take sorbents.

Wolf's bast

Poisoning by a poisonous plant Wolf's bark or Wolfberry, as it is also called extremely dangerous. Outwardly, it looks like a shrub with glossy leaves and clusters. bright red fleshy berries that attract the eye. Despite its beauty, this plant is almost never used as an ornamental landscaping. Wolfberry contains a set of toxic substances. The smell of a flowering plant alone can give you a headache, and if you eat more than 5 berries, death is extremely likely.

High salivation, burns, indigestion, burning in the eyes and mouth, bloody gastric discharge - this is an incomplete list of symptoms of this poisoning. the most dangerous plant. If the victim can still be saved, he is nevertheless guaranteed serious consequences for life associated with bad job hearts.

Not only harm, but also benefit

Perhaps, reading this article, many will ask themselves the question - why, in fact, do we need poisonous plants?

There are no superfluous links in nature: it is unique and thought out. Poison properties certain types plants for humans is a disadvantage, while for the plants themselves it is the ability to evolve. Growth, survival, the ability to adapt to changing conditions - all this, many plants owe precisely to their toxicity.

In addition, over time, a person nevertheless learned to use harmful properties many herbs, flowers and berries for your benefit. An example of this is a huge number of medicines created on the basis of poisonous plants.

Your fragrant garden can become a heavenly place, pleasing to the eye. However, many popular plants become silent killers, especially when it comes to small children and pets. The flowers and shrubs listed below are valued for their beauty and grace, but they carry a deadly danger for those who inadvertently put the buds or leaves in their mouths. Tell your little ones about each of these plants and protect the health of your inquisitive explorers.

These plants love moisture and shade. Gardeners value them most for their showy caps of red, white, pink, or purple flowers, and thick, glossy leaves. Who would have thought that the rhododendron is a silent killer? If a person inadvertently swallows any part of this plant, he will immediately become ill. Drooling from the mouth, and the eyes begin to water. Subsequently, there may be profuse vomiting, the pulse will slow down, and the blood pressure will drop. AT worst cases people go into a coma or die after cardiac arrest.

lilies of the valley

Gardeners love to plant these unpretentious plants in the shade, despite their small size. They grow well on the north side alpine slides, have graceful white flowers and steady delicate aroma. All parts of the plant, especially the leaves, are fatal to humans and animals. Keep this in mind when you decide to use lilies of the valley in flower arrangement. Even the water in which the stem is placed becomes toxic. The fact is that the plant contains the deadly substance convallatoxin. This natural poison increases the contraction of the heart muscle. It also causes severe headaches, hallucinations, hot flashes, and irritability. Cold sweat appears on the skin, and sometimes red spots. If no action is taken in time, the victim may fall into a coma or die from cardiac arrest.

Hydrangea

Large white, pink or blue inflorescences of this shade-loving shrub adorn our gardens from early summer to autumn. The whole plant is poisonous, especially flower buds. Swallowing a hydrangea is like taking a cyanide pill. Inside the flower is a real poison called a cyanogenic glycoside, which causes shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting. A drop in blood pressure can cause seizures and even death.

Narcissus vulgaris

Many gardeners prefer to plant varietal bulbs of daffodils with huge fringed flowers. different shades. However, the common daffodil is still popular due to its extraordinary unpretentiousness and speed of reproduction. The whole plant is toxic, especially the bulbs that cause vomiting. Remember: indoors, the smell of daffodil in a bouquet can cause a headache. If you put the bulbs in storage, and someone mistakenly ate them, you will not envy the victim. Early symptoms include nausea, convulsions, and loss of consciousness. Then comes paralysis and death. If you love daffodils, make sure you wear rubber gloves when planting the bulbs. Avoid contact with flowers if there are open wounds on the body.

Digitalis

This plant is loved tall stem, dotted with flowers in the form of thimbles. Pink and white bell-shaped flowers from a distance resemble the spiers of a tower. The whole plant is deadly, especially the most upper leaves. They are rich in digitoxin, chemical used in medicine. However, at high doses remedy turns into poison. 20 minutes after sending the foxglove to the stomach, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are observed. The more you eat, the faster bradycardia (lower heart rate) sets in. If you have small children, refrain from planting foxglove. It is enough for babies to suck on leaves or flowers, and irreversible consequences may occur.

Larkspur

A plant from the buttercup family - larkspur - is a bright spot in your garden. The whole plant is considered poisonous, but young leaves and mature seeds contain the highest concentration of toxic alkaloids. Someone can think of and eat these seductive blue flowers. Immediately after this, the poor fellow will feel nausea and vomiting, a burning sensation in the mouth, and the heart rate will slow down. You need to seek help immediately, because after 6 hours the doctors will already be powerless.

Oleander

Fragrant white flowers and thick decorative leaves make oleander popular ornamental shrub. The whole plant is deadly, including nectar and leaf juice. Think twice before growing oleander if you have small children. One fleshy leaf contains enough toxins to kill a baby. After poisoning, the first thing to suffer digestive system marked vomiting and diarrhea. If the process progresses, there are problems with blood vessels that are incompatible with life. While the heart is still beating, the oleander delivers a devastating blow to the central nervous system, causing convulsions, tremors, and coma.

Poinsettia (spurge)

This plant is especially loved in warm subtropical climates. Those who live in cooler latitudes grow spurge on their windowsills. The white sap of the plant is deadly. Despite its toxic reputation, the poinsettia will never top the list of poisonous plants. There are too few documented deaths from drinking milkweed juice. However, keep this plant away from small children and cats and dogs. There have been cases when animals have experienced vomiting and diarrhea after eating milkweed. It is not recommended to keep near the elderly and sick people.

Belladonna (purple nightshade)

This plant is not grown as often as all the others on our list. It is prized for its sinuous, greenish-purple flowers and showy, shiny berries. All parts of the plant are toxic, especially the berries, roots and leaves. Be careful: if someone puts a handful of berries in his mouth, soon he will not be able to utter a sound. First, a person loses his voice, then breathing problems occur, after which intense digestive disturbances and convulsions are observed. The stage of convulsions often becomes fatal.

Calmia broadleaf

A beautiful shrub with large inflorescences of reddish-pink or white color is a close relative of the azalea and rhododendron. Leaves, twigs, flowers and pollen are deadly. Calmia broadleaf is also called mountain laurel. The plant contains andromedotoxin, which instantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. The victim notices increased salivation, tearfulness, shortness of breath and slowing of the pulse. With severe poisoning, there may be kidney failure, convulsions, paralysis, coma, and in some cases death.

mistletoe

This plant dominates wild nature, however, some flower lovers grow mistletoe in front gardens on poplar or ash boughs as decorative ornament. All parts of the plant are toxic, especially the berries. If someone thinks of brewing tea from mistletoe leaves and berries, the poor fellow will experience abdominal pain and diarrhea. If part of the plant is swallowed, then inflammation of the stomach and small intestine is often detected. Later, toxins affect the cardiovascular system. Don't plant mistletoe if you have cats or dogs.

Spotted parsley (hemlock)

Small white inflorescences of perennial spotted parsley form umbrella-like racemes. At first glance this unpretentious plant doesn't look intimidating. It can grow along the perimeter of the site, especially if the garden is located next to a meadow, pasture or stream. All parts are toxic, especially the roots. young plant. This wild flower has been called the most poisonous of all growing in North America. Spotted parsley wears its title for a reason. Within 15 minutes after its use, death occurs. The poison cicutoxin instantly affects the central nervous system of a person, causing severe convulsions and convulsions. Death occurs as a result of asphyxia or cardiovascular insufficiency.

Poison is not only a weapon of snakes and arthropods. A large number of plant species growing all over the world contain toxins that are deadly not only for animals, but also for humans. Below is a list of the ten most poisonous plants in the world.

Oleander is an evergreen perennial undersized shrub native to India. Also common in countries East Asia. It can often be found near dry riverbeds and streams. Grows up to 2-6 m in height. Cultivated as an ornamental plant, blooming with red, white, yellow and pink fragrant flowers. Oleander is used in medicine, especially for cardiovascular diseases. Widely used throughout the world to decorate gardens and parks. Blooms in summer. All parts of it are poisonous and contain oleandrin, cornerin and other cardiac glycosides, which, if ingested, cause severe colic, vomiting, diarrhea and can cause cardiac arrest. It is said that even the smoke from a burning oleander is poisonous. It is the flower symbol of the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

manchineel tree

The manchineel tree is a species of flowering plant native to Central America (Florida, the Caribbean and the Bahamas), as well as Venezuela and Colombia. In the wild, it can be found on coastal beaches and in brackish swamps among mangrove trees. The manchineel tree grows up to 15 meters in height. All parts of it contain strong toxins, especially fruits and milky white juice - one drop on the skin leaves blisters, dermatitis, swelling or burns. Not surprisingly, the manchineel tree is called the "little apple of death."

Veh - perennial herbaceous plant, which grows up to 2.5 meters tall and is distinguished by small green or white flowers arranged in the shape of an umbrella. As a rule, they grow in damp meadows and other wet and swampy places. Three of the four species contain the strongest toxin (cicutoxin) that causes rhabdomyolysis, characterized by the destruction of muscle tissue cells and the development of acute renal failure.

Brugmansia snow-white - a kind of perennial flowering plants growing in tropical forests South America. These are small trees and shrubs containing psychoactive substances. Cultivated as an ornamental plant throughout the world. They can reach a height of 3–11 m. All parts of Brugmansia are poisonous, especially the seeds and leaves. They contain atropine, tropane alkaloids, scopolamine. When ingested, it leads to muscle paralysis, confusion, tachycardia, diarrhea, headaches, visual and auditory hallucinations, mydriasis, cycloplegia, and even death.

Ageratina highest is a perennial plant native to eastern and central North America. Grows up to 1.5 m in height. It is used in medicine, in particular, against snake bites. Ageratina highest - poisonous, it contains the toxin tremetol, which, once inside, causes convulsions, vomiting and leads to serious intestinal disorders. It is surprising that a person who eats meat or drinks the milk of a poisoned animal can develop all the symptoms of poisoning, and even come fatal outcome.

Belladonna is a perennial plant up to 1.5 m high. It grows in deciduous moist forests, mainly in open areas in North Africa, Europe and Western Asia. All its parts are poisonous, with the highest concentration of poisonous alkaloids found in the roots and fruits. Symptoms of belladonna poisoning in humans are hallucinations, lack of recognition environment, photophobia, speech disorders and, ultimately, loss of consciousness and death from paralysis of the respiratory center.

Aconite

Aconite or Wrestler - a genus of poisonous perennials distributed in Europe, Asia and North America. I grow about 1 meter in height. Used in medicine. Some species are grown as ornamentals. Blooms in July-September. All parts of the plant are extremely poisonous and contain the alkaloid aconitine, which, when ingested, causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, dizziness, shortness of breath, headache, and confusion. The main causes of death are ventricular asystole, paralysis of the heart or respiratory center. Poisoning can also occur by skin contact; aconitine - easily absorbed through the skin.

Cerberus is a genus of evergreen small plants that grow in tropical Asia, Australia, Madagascar, as well as on various islands located in the Indian Ocean. Due to its toxicity, the genus was named after the dog Cerberus from Greek mythology. All parts of the plant are extremely poisonous: they contain cerberin, a substance that blocks electrical impulses in the body (including heart rate). Even the smoke emitted when burning Cerberus can cause severe poisoning and lead to death.

The second place in the ranking of the most poisonous plants in the world is occupied by Abrus prayer - a poisonous plant native to India. Cultivated in many tropical countries. Grows up to 10 m in height. Its seeds contain a poisonous substance - abrin, which is especially dangerous in contact with open wounds and eyes. Even ingestion of one seed can be fatal for an adult. Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, convulsions, liver failure, and death, usually within a few days.