Bulbous buttercup
General poisoning notes:
Bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) is a naturalized herb found in a few Canadian provinces. In the past, the juice of this plant was used by beggars in Europe to cause skin lesions, thus eliciting compassion. The volatile chemical protoanemonin is an irritant. Ingesting this plant has poisoned cattle, swine, and humans. The recent literature includes few cases of poisoning (Kingsbury 1964, Cooper and Johnson 1984).
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Ranunculus bulbosus L.
Vernacular name(s): bulbous buttercup
Scientific family name: Ranunculaceae
Vernacular family name: crowfoot
Ranunculus bulbosus L.
Geographic Information
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario
Toxic parts:
Plant juices
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
Ranunculin, a glycoside, occurs in the juice of the buttercups. Upon maceration, a plant enzyme is released that converts ranunculin to protoanemonin. This chemical, a yellow volatile oil, is unstable and either polymerizes to nontoxic anemonin or is volatilized. Air-dried plants, as those found in hay, are nontoxic. Protoanemonin is an irritant that can cause blisters and other problems when ingested (Cooper and Johnson 1984).
Toxic plant chemicals:
Ranunculin
Chemical diagram(s) are courtesy of Ruth McDiarmid, Biochemistry Technician, Kamloops Range Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kamploops, British Columbia, Canada.
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Cattle
General symptoms of poisoning:
Breathing, labored, gait, unsteady, nasal discharge, salivation.
Notes on poisoning:
In one case in Britain, a cow salivated, coughed, and discharged mucous from the nostrils after ingesting buttercup plants. The animal swayed in the hindquarters with an uneasy movement of the legs. A period of noisy breathing preceded recovery (Cooper and Johnson 1984).
Humans
General symptoms of poisoning:
Abdominal pains, diarrhea, mouth, irritation of
Notes on poisoning:
Ingesting the bulbous bases of this buttercup has caused a few cases of illness. An acrid taste and burning of the mouth and throat precludes ingesting large quantities. Other symptoms may include diarrhea and abdominal pain (Cooper and Johnson 1984).
Swine
General symptoms of poisoning:
Blindness
