Golden-bean
General poisoning notes:
Golden-bean (Thermopsis rhombifolia) is a native plant that is found in the southern part of western Canada. This plant has been suspected since the late 1800s to be poisonous to cattle and horses, but conclusive evidence is lacking in the literature. The related plant, poison-bean (Thermopsis montana), causes poisoning in cattle. Poison-bean contains several quinolizidine alkaloids, and similar chemicals may be found in golden-bean. Ingesting seeds of golden-bean was suspected in a case of poisoning of a child in western Canada. Until more definitive studies appear in the literature, the plant is included in this Information System because of its potential for poisoning (Kingsbury 1964, Keeler et al. 1986).
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Thermopsis rhombifolia (Nutt.) Richards.
Vernacular name(s): golden-bean
Scientific family name: Leguminosae
Vernacular family name: pea
Thermopsis rhombifolia (Nutt.) Richards.
Geographic Information
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Toxic parts:
Leaves, seeds
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
The chemicals listed here are found in the closely related poison-bean (Thermopsis montana), although similar chemicals are found in golden-bean (Keeler et al. 1986). Some of these chemicals are found in other members of the pea family, including anagyrine, which causes teratogenic effects in cattle that eat lupines containing this chemical.
Toxic plant chemicals:
Anagyrine, cytisine, N-methylcytisine, thermopsine.
Anagyrine
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
