The 10 Most Deadliest Plants That I Won’t Dare Eat….

Beauty can be defying….and at times even DECEIVING….Yes….Because the most beautiful flowers which we find so very captivating are all on the list of poisonous plants….daffodils,buttercups and mistletoe are few examples of these pretty devils who can deceive us with their looks….Practically these plants are so beautiful because many of them are carnivorous and have evolved this way so that they can CHEAT little insects like honey bees who fall in for the good looks thinking that these deadly flowers are full of nectar!!!!

So here’s a list of 10 deadliest plants in the world that I won’t dare touch…Forget about eating them!!!!

 10. Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)

Jimson Weed

Don’t go for it’s good looks….This plant cause hallucinations enough to drive anyone mad….Known as “ANGEL’S TRUMPET” because of its trumpet shaped flowers…. the only problem is that it is not at all ANGELIC….It is more commonly known as “Devil’s Weed” because it causes delusions, hallucinations, convulsions and perhaps death….

In 1676, when a group of British soldiers made themselves a salad out of the stuff….They survived, but according to one account, spent 11 days consumed by hallucinations and delusions before sobering up with no memory of their 17th-century-style psychedelic trip….I had say that making a salad out of jimson weed is not a good idea at all!!!!

9.Yew (genus Taxus)

Yew

This is plant that can neither be hated nor be trusted….This plant is favorite option for hedges and landscaping….But the berries which look absolutely delicious were always believed to be poisonous…but now it has been proved that it is other way around…Actually the berries are the only edible part of this plant….

The seeds and foliage are highly toxic, containing copious amounts of poisonous substances known as taxanes. Death comes suddenly and can involve convulsions, muscle tremors, difficulty breathing and heart failure…..But taxanes are in way good….because some are ave proved to be highly successful in Chemotherapy!!!

8.Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

Venus Flytrap

We have heard about this plant many times when we were in school….Well there is no connection between this plant and planet Venus nor it can be said to be ladylike (Remember women are from Venus)….Ya trap it is…But not for humans….It’s big time trap for unassuming insects that just walk into its flaps….Once inside the insect is trapped and the plant oozes out enzymes that completely digests the insects….

7. Sundews (Drosera family)

Sundew

Sundews….the name sounds so alluring….But these plants aren’t so…..luring insects with sweet, mucous-like excretions….once a insect who gets tempted enough to go near this plant and get entangled in this mess….it usually dies from suffocation….The plant then takes it upon itself to digest its prey and absorb the gooey, digested insect stew…..

Thank God!!!….Sundews and Venus flytrap are not big enough for humans….But still I won’t prefer going near these very gooey plant cannibals!!!!

6.Hemlock (Conium maculatum)

Hemlock

When I first saw these flowers I was like “Oh Wooowwww!!!!”…..Now if you wondering why these cute little flowers are called HEMLOCK….Let me explain….These are plants which were responsible for the death of Socrates….Back in his day, a hemlock cocktail was the preferred method of execution….

Conium maculatum, aka hemlock, poison hemlock or devil’s porridge….owes its poisonous bite to coniine, a neurotoxin that causes paralysis of the muscles, including the ones you need to breathe. Eventually, victims suffocate and die of lack of oxygen……So the next time you smell Hemlock….it means RUN!!!!

5. Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna)

Deadly Nightshade

Not just the name but even the plant is deadly…..Don’t fall for its pretty flowers and equally delicious looking berries (which are sweet in taste)….it can cause delirium, hallucinations and eventually, death….

Only good thing about this plant is that….This plant is also the source of the drug atropine, which is commonly used on heart attack patients and less commonly used on victims of nerve gas….So being bad is not that bad actually!!!

4. Oleander (Nerium oleander)

Oleander

I really hate this….One more good looking plant that is so dangerous….This plant distinctly looks like Periwinkle….But is no where close to it (because Periwinkle is used for chemotherapy)….But this plant is very toxic….even a leaf can kill a child….

The toxins in oleander cause a whole range of severely unpleasant symptoms, including nausea, diarrhea, blurred vision, dizziness, disorientation, seeing halos, low blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat and, of course, death….

3. Strychnine tree (Strychnos nux-vomica)

Strychnine tree (Strychnos nux-vomica)

Strychnine is famous for killing Rats….Yes….Well,I can see that smile….But if you planing to grow this plant anywhere near your home …..Give up the idea right away….  The seeds of the Strychnos nux-vomica tree, native to Southeast Asia, are the primary source of strychnine, which may be best known as a poison but was once used as a medicine (for its stimulant properties)….

Strychnine can cause severe convulsions that can eventually lead to death from exhaustion….I guess this reason is enough to steer away from this plant….You can leave the rats alive….unless you don’t want to kill yourself in bargain!!!

2. Nepenthes truncata

Nepenthes truncata

Well this is most dangerous variety of Pitcher plants….This plant is big enough to trap and digest a mouse. How does it do it? With a large pitcher-shaped pocket that is the perfect size for a mouse to just fall into…. At the bottom of the pitcher sits a bath of digestive enzymes….

I don’t know if this plant is toxic or not….But farmers and city dwellers who are absolutely fed up with the turmoil caused by these pesky rodents could try a “Nepenthes Trap“!!!!

1. Castor Plant (Ricinus communis)

Castor Plant (Ricinus communis)

This was where I got the shock of my life….I had never imagined that I’ll find THIS plant on this list…..Because I have grown up using Castor oil every time I had Tooth ache…..As few as four seeds could kill an adult, and it might only take one to poison a child….It is in fact be the most poisonous plant in the world….

Ricin is a poison found in the seed coat and throughout the castor plant….. The same seed that gives you castor oil could kill you…. Castor oil itself does not contain ricin, which separates out during the extraction process…..This plant causes intense abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea and ends with severe dehydration, low blood pressure and death…..

The list is complete…..But there may be many other plants which can be so very alluring….So please the next time you come across plants that make you almost lose your breath with their good looks…..Take a moment and think…..Beware….It may be curse in disguise!!!!!

Is There Any Escape From “The Rise Of Antibiotic Resistant Species” ????

Susceptibility is the key word right now…..Because our present generation may have become technologically developed….But all the advancements brought great luxury and comfort with it….And made us all the more lethargic….Which in turn has made us highly SUSCEPTIBLE….To whom if you ask….They are called Highly Resistant Species….And that’s why I call this “The Rise Of Antibiotic Resistant Species”…..

So what are these Antibiotic Resistant Species that are actually driving the nuts off our Scientists???….These are species that have developed resistance against the antibiotics that we normally use….These newly developed strains are like celebrity on blocks….Because they have the ability to overcome all innovations that are made in the antibiotics meant to destroy them….Pray what may be the reason for the successful survival of these species…..Our own self committed mistakes…Yes,we humans are only responsible for this (like all the problems that we create for ourselves….the most notable being Global Warming)…..The primary cause of this is genetic mutation in species….This happens because of the extensive use of the antibiotics….Many of the resistant strains develop what is called “Antibiotic Resistant Trait”…..which is transferred via Plasmids….This makes the rapid increase and growth of these species possible and their control highly impossible….

The four main mechanisms by which microorganisms exhibit resistance to antimicrobials are:

1. Drug inactivation or modification: for example, enzymatic deactivation of  Penicillin G in some penicillin-resistant bacteria through the production of  lactamases
2. Alteration of target site: for example, alteration of PBP-the binding target site of penicillins—in MRSA and other penicillin-resistant bacteria.
3. Alteration of metabolic pathway: for example, some SULFONAMIDE-resistant bacteria do not require para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), an important precursor for the synthesis of folic acid and nucleic acids in bacteria inhibited by sulfonamides. Instead, like mammalian cells, they turn to utilizing preformed folic acid.
4. Reduced drug accumulation: by decreasing drug permeabilityand/or increasing active efflux(pumping out) of the drugs across the cell surface.

Presently the most resistant species that thriving happily in our environment are- Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus and Enterococcus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium difficile,Salmonella and E. coli,Acinetobacter baumannii….

So now the question that persists is….IS THERE ANY WAY OF ESCAPE????….Yes….THERE IS !!!!!

1) Rational use of antibiotics may limit the growth and spread of these resistant species…

2) It has been found that topical preparations like Tea Tree oil and Thyme oil are much effective against these species….So their use should be encouraged…

3) Phytotherapeutic medicines could almost not just limit the use of antibiotics but also eliminate their use entirely.

4) Bacteriophage therapy is an important alternative to antibiotics in the current era of multidrug resistant pathogens.Studies also demonstrated significant efficacy of phages against E.coli, Acinetobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp and S.aureus.

Like every coin has two sides….Even the rise of these species has had some positive effects….Antibiotic resistance has lead to the idea of development of  Artificial Plasmids,the so called VECTORS…..The presence of the antibiotic resistant gene makes sure that the engineered gene is expressed in the copies that are produced after replication….The rise of the multi-drug resistant species,popularly called as Superbug has given the idea for the development of Pseudomonas putida-which has been engineered for the bioremediation of oil spills….

But this cannot overshadow the ill-effects of the Resistant species….So,all in all…Precautions have to be taken….These species might have given us great engineering ideas because of their great manipulation properties….But still they are hazardous and so all measures should be taken to prevent their Rise…..Unless of course,we don’t want our future generations to suffer the banes of this disaster….Think about it….Prevention is better than CURE….

Sharks’ Virus Killer Could Cure Humans

Sharks  aren’t just tough on the outside—a substance in their bodies can stop viruses in their tracks, a new study says.

A cholesterol-like compound found in dogfish sharks’ tissue has been shown to combat several viruses that cause hard-to-treat human diseases, such as dengue fever and hepatitis, a new study says.

Called squalamine, the compound is already in human clinical trials for cancer and eye disorders, and several hundred people have been exposed without major side effects.

The new study revealed that squalamine can also disrupt a virus’s life cycle and prevent it from replicating in both tissue cultures and live animals.

Though there are plenty of drugs to treat bacterial infections, there are few pharmaceuticals that are effective against viruses. Current antiviral drugs are highly specific—each targeting just one strain of a virus—but strains can easily mutate and become resistant to the medication.

“It’s a whole new approach to treatment of viral disease,” said study leader Michael Zasloff, of the Georgetown University Medical Center.

“It’s very possible we could cure several diseases we [now] treat as chronic infections.”

“Eureka Moment” For for Shark-based Antiviral Drug

Zasloff discovered squalamine in 1993 while searching for antibacterial agents in sharks, which are immune to some diseases, including all viruses.

He found that squalamine—which “looked like nothing else that had ever been described or discovered”—inhibits the growth of blood vessels,  suggesting the molecule could potentially stop cancer cells from multiplying.

Human research eventually led to Zasloff’s “eureka moment,” when he realized squalamine can also disable viruses, he said.

“I could see [how it works against viruses] almost as if it were a moving picture,” he recalled.

Squalamine is a positively charged molecule, so when it enters a cell, the molecule immediately sticks “like Velcro” to the cell’s inner membranes, which have negative charges, Zasloff said.

By doing so, squalamine “pops off” any positively charged proteins that were attached to the cell membrane—an action that does no harm to the cell, Zasloff noted.

When a virus invades a cell, it expects those proteins to be present on the cell membrane. Without them, the virus can’t reproduce.

“There is no other compound known to science that does this—this is a remarkable property,” Zasloff said.

It’s also one that has apparently served sharks well for hundreds of millions of years—and possibly explains the creatures’ evolutionary success.

The shark’s “antiviral defenses have been extraordinary,” Zasloff said. “It has adapted a very remarkable immune system and stayed with it.”

Squalamine Effective Against Human Viruses

In the study, squalamine thwarted infection of the dengue fever virus in human blood vessel cells and of hepatitis B and D in human liver cells—and with little harm to sharks. Shark tissue is no longer required to produce squalamine, which has been synthesized in the laboratory since 1995.

Zasloff and colleagues also discovered that squalamine inhibited yellow fever, eastern equine encephalitis virus, and murine cytomegalovirus in lab animals—in some cases curing the subjects, according to the study, published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Current squalamine compounds can access only cells that have “chemical portals” to permit its entry, such as those in blood vessels, capillaries, and the liver. But a squalamine-based drug could potentially be tailored to fight a wide variety of viruses in other types of cells, he said.

The results “sounds promising” as antiviral drugs, said Todd Rider, a senior staff scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratoryand Division of Comparative Medicine.

“So far the researchers appear to have shown that squalamine is active against six viruses, although they also found that it does have some toxicity and other side effects in certain cell types at doses roughly comparable to those that were required for antiviral efficacy,” Rider said by email.

“It will be interesting to see what additional viruses squalamine is or is not effective against, and whether the antiviral efficacy can be achieved without toxicity in any type of tissue.”

Study leader Zasloff said, though, that all substances have some toxicity, and that clinical trials would reveal how safe the drug is for humans.

But based on its known safety so far, Zasloff predicts clinical trials for the antiviral will begin in people in about a year.

Sharks have been hiding squalamine in their bodies for 700 million years, he added.  “Now it’s a gift to us.”

( Courtesy-National Geographic)