Medicinal Plants in Australia Volume 3: Plants, Potions and Poisons

Medicinal Plants in Australia Volume 3: Plants, Potions and Poisons
ISBN-10
1925078078
ISBN-13
9781925078077
Category
Science
Pages
472
Language
English
Published
2012-07-01
Publisher
Rosenberg Publishing
Author
Cheryll Williams

Description

Plants defend themselves against predators, including man. There are obvious defences such as stinging nettle-like strategies, and burning or blistering latex resins. Others use different methods to incapacitate. They include gastrointestinal distress (vomiting or purgation), blindness, neurological disability, or even asphyxia. This clearly illustrates the ingenuity of plant chemistry which, while daunting, has lead to some rather extraordinary discoveries. The poisonous potential of numerous plants coincides with a medicinal effect that can not be ignored. What is the difference between a poisonous, edible or therapeutic effect?

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