Dutchman's-breeches
General poisoning notes:
Dutchman''s-breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) is a native herb found in the rich woodlands of eastern Canada. The plant has been shown to cause poisoning when fed to cattle under experimental conditions. The underground tubers caused more severe symptoms. When plant tubers were fed at 2 kg/100 kg of animal weight, various symptoms occurred, including trembling and convulsions (Black et al. 1923). Poisoning may occur during the spring, when the ground is soft and the tubers might be dug up.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Dicentra cucullaria (L.) Bernh.
Vernacular name(s): Dutchman's-breeches
Scientific family name: Fumariaceae
Vernacular family name: frumitory
Dicentra cucullaria (L.) Bernh.
Geographic Information
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec
Notes on Poisonous plant parts:
When the plant was fed to cattle during experiments the underground tubers caused more symptoms than the aboveground portion of the plant (Black et al. 1923).
Toxic parts:
Leaves, tubers
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
Several isoquinoline alkaloids have been found in Dicentra species, including aporphine and protopine. The degree of toxicity of the various alkaloids is not known (Black et al. 1923). Protopine is also found in the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum).
Toxic plant chemicals:
Aporphine, protopine.
Aporphine
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, convulsions, mouth, frothing of, nervousness, opisthotonos, trembling.
Notes on poisoning:
Experimental feeding of cattle caused the animals to become nervous, run back and forth, violently eject stomach contents, tremble, convulse, and fall down with the legs extended and rigid. The cattle were able to rise again and recover after a while (Black et al. 1923).
