Is Firethorn Poisonous? Information on dangers for children and animals

The firethorn is a garden shrub that is widespread in the local climes. The plant is particularly popular due to its attractive appearance. In spring it is adorned with white flowers, from which orange to red round fruits grow over the course of the year. These very tempting looking fruits stick to the bush for a long time, even into winter. The attractive ornamental shrub is evergreen. It can be found as a hedge in public facilities and thus increasingly near playgrounds for children. But be careful: parts of the firethorn are poisonous, even if only weakly.

Toxicity

Poisonous parts of the plant

The stems, shoots and leaves of the firethorn are not poisonous and therefore harmless. The berry-shaped stone fruits are also not poisonous in themselves. When consumed, however, they taste quite unpleasantly mealy-sour. They are therefore not suitable for raw consumption.

In the small, round nut-like fruits, however, there are between two to five seeds in the form of tiny kernels. These seeds contain traces of toxins from the group of cyanogenic glycosides. This toxin is released during chewing and later digestion and has a weakly toxic effect on the human organism and toxic to highly toxic in animals.

Toxin absorption

This is how the poison gets into the body

Touching the parts of the plant is possible without any problems because they are not poisonous. This also applies to the seeds that contain the toxin. Raising your hand to your mouth after touching the fruit with the seeds is also not dangerous. The poison is absorbed by eating the fruit alone.

Tip: Even if the effect for adults is only weak: Refrain from eating the fruits raw. However, the shrub is an alternative to sea buckthorn and is therefore often used in the kitchen. When cooking jam, make sure that the sauce is free from seeds. The glycoside in the seeds survives cooking. Although the amounts of this substance are small, it is safer to remove the kernels / seeds.

Important: What you should know about cyanogenic glycosides

• cyanogenic glycosides are widely used as plant toxins
• they consist of sugar in the combination of carbohydrate and alcohol
• attached to the carbon compound is a nitrile group
• when consumed, the so-called enzymatic cleavage takes place
• hydrogen cyanide is released in the process
• Hydrogen cyanide is better known under the popular name prussic acid

Poisonous effect

The concentration of these toxins in the berries is so low. For adults, symptoms of poisoning do not or very rarely occur even after consuming large amounts.

In toddlers

Attention children: potentiated effect

However, the consumption of raw firethorn fruits is a problem for sensitive people and especially children. Small children do not tolerate small amounts well.

The consequences:

• Discomfort in the stomach and intestines
• nausea
• Vomit
• diarrhea

The toxic effect of the glycoside does not set in immediately after consuming the firethorn fruit. Because cyanogenic glycosides themselves have no toxic effect. The hydrogen cyanide is only released when the molecule is split.

The dangerous hydrocyanic acid is broken down enzymatically. This means that only when the enzymes that are important for digestion act on the crushed fruit in the saliva and later in the stomach or intestines does the toxic effect arise. Ten to twenty minutes can pass between consumption and the first symptoms, especially if the child has swallowed the berries whole and not chewed them.

In cats

Toxic effect on cats

While the berries and seeds of the firethorn cause minor symptoms of poisoning in humans and do not lead to death, the effect on cats is threatening. This is because the hydrogen cyanide released by the cyanogenic glycosides is highly toxic and therefore devastating to the animal.

• Root cause: Hydrocyanic acid intervenes in the metabolism and within a very short time the energy metabolism is paralyzed

These symptoms indicate poisoning:

• beginning shortness of breath
• progressive breathing difficulties
• increased salivation
• increasing heart rate
• fever
• Racing heart

First aid for poisoning with firethorn:

• act quickly in case of hydrocyanic acid poisoning as the poisoning progresses rapidly
• should the animal choke on its own, you mechanically irritate the digestive tract
• this will help him get rid of the berries he has eaten before enzymatic processing begins
• do not give the animal anything liquid
• Attention: no milk, no oil and no water either
• see a veterinarian immediately

In dogs

Endangerment for dogs

Dogs, too, especially smaller specimens, react strongly to cyanogenic glycosides. With them, too, the energy metabolism is paralyzed in a short time. That is why quick measures must be taken in dogs when there are symptoms of poisoning.

• Induce vomiting mechanically
• do not give liquid
• see a veterinarian quickly

prevention

Measures to take precaution

• Cat owners refrain from planting firethorn
• if the shrub already exists, the cat should be kept away
• Dogs should also be made clear in an "educational" way to stay away

Tip: Firethorn has spikes. Lightly “poking” the animals with the plant shows them that touching them is uncomfortable. This keeps pets, especially more intelligent dogs, away.

First aid

First aid in case of fire thorn poisoning

• in no case do not give the child milk to drink
• The administration of tea is also counterproductive
• Reason: Liquids stimulate digestion and thus the effect of enzymes on the cyanogenic glycosides
• refrain from inducing vomiting

Did you actually know:

... that you are more likely to harm a child if you encourage them to vomit. Small children in particular lose a lot of fluids in the process. For them, dehydration is a risk.

Alternative plants

A good alternative to the firethorn is the sea buckthorn. It also bears small, round fruits. These are lighter and shine in yellow to orange.