Candelabra-cactus
General poisoning notes:
Candelabra-cactus (Euphorbia lactea) is an indoor ornamental plant. The latex (juice) of the plant contains an intense irritant that causes problems when the latex comes in contact with mucous membranes and eyes. Severe eye problems have also been experimentally produced in dogs. Ingestion should be avoided by children and family pets.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Euphorbia lactea Haw.
Vernacular name(s): candelabra-cactus
Scientific family name: Euphorbiaceae
Vernacular family name: spurge
Euphorbia lactea Haw.
Geographic Information
Plant or plant parts used in or around the home.
Toxic parts:
Latex
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Humans
General symptoms of poisoning:
Keratoconjunctivitis
Notes on poisoning:
The milky sap of candelabra-cactus contains an irritant that can cause intense burning and keratoconjunctivitis if a drop gets into the eyes. In one case, a man felt intense pain in his eye followed by mild conjunctival hyperemia and punctate staining of the cornea. Within 24 h the patient had copious mucous discharge, marked conjunctival edema, swollen lids, and severe pain in the eye. A few days later the eye began to heal, with complete recovery after a couple of weeks. Experiments on dogs resulted in similar symptoms, with eventual clearing of the eyes (Crowder and Sexton 1964).
