Examples of poisonous plants in Israel of importance to animals and man

Abstract

Several plants causing poisoning in herbivores in Israel have an association with human health. Ferula communis (giant fennel) contains a potent anticoagulant and induces severe haemorrhagic diathesis in grazing ewes, or similar changes in utero in lambs. These and other teratogenic changes have been seen in babies from mothers receiving the anticoagulant warfarin during pregnancy. The Ferula interaction in sheep may be used as a model to study this embryotoxicity in man. Ammi majus (bishop's weed) causes severe ophthalmic changes, in particular pigmentary retinopathy in photosensitized domestic fowl. The photoactive principle is currently used in the treatment of psoriasis in man, and such patients should be examined for possible ocular toxicity. Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) caused myopathy in ruminants and is ingested by certain ethnic groups. Oxalis pes-caprae (Bermuda buttercup) causes large-scale oxalate poisoning in sheep and is avidly eaten by children.