The Dieffenbachia comes from the tropical areas of South America and is a popular houseplant because of its beautiful leaves and its low demands. The Dieffenbachie is also called Giftaron, which suggests that it should not end up on the plate. The plant can become a danger, especially for children and animals, if parts of the plant accidentally get into the stomach.
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Toxic ingredients
Dieffenbachia belong to the aroid family, which contains some of the most poisonous plants. The toxic ingredients are used in their homeland as insecticides or rat poison. The plant was even used as a means of torture in the 17th century. Slaves caught fleeing were given parts of plants, causing the tongue to swell. This left them unable to speak for several hours, earning them another trivial name, the Silent Ear.
The list of ingredients that are toxic is long. The most important substances include:
- Glycosides
- alkaloids
- Saponine
- Calciumoxalate
The Dieffenbachie has a special defense mechanism. In the case of intensive or repeated contact, so-called shooting cells can open. On the one hand, they shoot small needles that can injure the skin and, on the other hand, the toxic oxalates that cause reactions on the skin.
risks to humans
The Dieffenbachia harbors many dangers for humans, because due to the fact that the plant is poisonous in all parts, just touching it can become dangerous. The list of poisoning symptoms is long and depends on whether it was just contact or ingestion.
Possible symptoms of skin contact are:
- irritation
- acid burns
- inflammation
- swelling
- Burn
It is particularly painful when the plant sap comes into contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes. This leads to a burn of the conjunctiva and is usually associated with a painful inflammation. Uncontrollable tearing or sometimes a spasm of the eyelids can also be possible consequences.
While superficial poisoning of the skin can still be treated well, there are great dangers, especially when ingested orally. Three to four grams of leaf mass is considered a lethal dose. The first symptoms of poisoning after ingestion are:
- nausea
- tongue swelling and difficulty swallowing
- salivation
- cardiac arrhythmias
- signs of paralysis
risks to animals
The Dieffenbachia is also poisonous for animals. As with small children, the lower the body weight, the smaller the amounts that can lead to severe poisoning or even death. It is toxic to all pets, even pet birds. Dangers not only come from the plant itself, but also the irrigation water that collects in saucers is considered toxic. This water in particular can be dangerous for pets if a pet ingests it orally. If pets roam around the plants, they can trigger the protective mechanism, which also leads to skin reactions in them.
Poisoning in pets is manifested by the following symptoms:
- irritation in the mouth
- Gastrointestinal problems (e.g. bloody diarrhea)
- Difficulty swallowing or refusing to eat
- shortness of breath
- loss of voice
Immediate measures in case of poisoning
Regardless of whether it is a human or an animal, immediate action is required in the event of poisoning by a Dieffenbachia. In the event of direct skin contact, you should immediately rinse the affected areas with clear water. It is important to ensure that you do not injure other parts of your skin with the poisonous water of the Dieffenbachia caused by the water running off. Then observe whether there are any reactions and if so, contact a doctor and discuss how to proceed.
If taken orally, the remaining parts of the plant in the mouth must be spat out immediately. In the case of children or animals, you must check the oral cavity. In humans, the mouth should also be rinsed with water and then spat out. You should not rinse the mouth of pets as there is too much risk of them swallowing the water.
Victims can drink water as a first aid measure. Under no circumstances should milk be drunk or even triggered vomiting. Milk can promote the absorption of toxins and vomiting would lead to the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat coming into contact with the toxic ingredients again. Since poisoning by a Dieffenbachia requires immediate action, a doctor should be consulted after first aid measures have been taken. This also applies to poisoning in animals. Even birds have died from it, although they only nibbled small pieces of leaves.
prevent poisoning
The Dieffenbachia is just one of many popular houseplants with toxic ingredients. However, you don’t have to ban the plant from your home right away, but you should be careful with it. Basically, it should have a location where it is inaccessible to children and pets. Since it gets by with little light, it can be placed on higher shelves that are not directly by the window.
When caring for the plant, it is inevitable that there will be contact. If this is essential, you should have covered arms and wear protective gloves. In addition, you should not bring the plant near the face so as not to endanger the eyes. If accidental unprotected contact occurs, wash the area immediately.
