chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Alexander Campbell — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:21:05 GMT

Hi all

Have just noticed this thread.

PHYSALIS ALKEKENGI L., otherwise called Chinese Lantern, is a herbaceous garden plant with fruit enclosed by an orange, papery 'lantern'. The fruits are attractive to children, who sometimes eat them.

Potentially all parts of the plant are poisonous, except the fruit when ripe, as they contain steroidal lactones, including physalin A. However, in practice small acute ingestions are of low toxicity. VPIS has 5 past cases in dogs only - the major signs exhibited were drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea. All made a good recovery with supportive care and rehydration at home.

Livestock may react differentl;y as their gut transit time would be much longer and so they are perhaps more likely to absorb the toxic components.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Alex

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Vicky RVN — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:05:59 GMT

I too thought of lights!

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Tracy Windler RVN — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 22:19:02 GMT

I also thought the post was about the floating chinese lanterns! After all, beagles and labs eat the most god-awful things!

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Emma Purnell — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:45:42 GMT

[quote user="StephB"]

[quote user="FINNIGAN"]

i have heard of cows dying from eating these when they have been dropped into the field, i also wonder what would happen if they landed on someones thatched roof!!!!!

[/quote]

how would they end up on the roof unless someone threw them there?? they are ground creeper plants i thought? and why would it be a problem if they landed on a thatched roof?

[/quote]

And I was simply trying to help with this section of the post... nothing else. Apologies.

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

FINNIGAN — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:43:58 GMT

haha, sorry der, i was having a conversation with pal and this thread popped up!! teach me to read it properly next time, but you knew what i meant!!!!!

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:42:57 GMT

[quote user="Emma Kerry"]

I think there is some confusion here between plants and the chinese lanterns that you set fire to that drift off into the sky...

[/quote]

well i was referring to the plant "chinese lanterns aka physalis" I assumed that the OP was as well as they are known to be toxic.

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Emma Purnell — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:32:09 GMT

I think there is some confusion here between plants and the chinese lanterns that you set fire to that drift off into the sky...

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Nick Shackleton — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:31:28 GMT

[quote user="StephB"]

[quote user="FINNIGAN"]

i have heard of cows dying from eating these when they have been dropped into the field, i also wonder what would happen if they landed on someones thatched roof!!!!!

[/quote]

how would they end up on the roof unless someone threw them there?? they are ground creeper plants i thought? and why would it be a problem if they landed on a thatched roof?

[/quote]

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:27:01 GMT

[quote user="FINNIGAN"]

i have heard of cows dying from eating these when they have been dropped into the field, i also wonder what would happen if they landed on someones thatched roof!!!!!

[/quote]

how would they end up on the roof unless someone threw them there?? they are ground creeper plants i thought? and why would it be a problem if they landed on a thatched roof?

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

FINNIGAN — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:24:16 GMT

i have heard of cows dying from eating these when they have been dropped into the field, i also wonder what would happen if they landed on someones thatched roof!!!!!

Re: chinese lanterns- how poisionous?

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 14:02:50 GMT

i think it depends on the species of the plant. proper chinese lantern or cape goose berry would be unpleasant but i don't know what the prognosis would be with animals but i know it's pretty awful for humans. (i.e. Headache, stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhoea, low temperature, dilated pupils, breathing problems and numbness) but i believe that's the unripe fruit and leaves. So similar to tomato maybe? but ripe fruit with out any leaf ingestion in small quantities depending on size of animal i would have thought would be ok.