Toxic and Medicinal Potential in Atlantic White Cedar Wetland Forests

Toxic and Medicinal
Potential in Atlantic
White Cedar Wetland
Forests
Aimlee D. Laderman
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA
Pamela Polloni
MBL-WHOI Library Herbarium, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA

Toxic and Medicinal
Potential in Atlantic
White Cedar Wetland
Forests
Aimlee D. Laderman
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA
Pamela Polloni
MBL-WHOI Library Herbarium, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA

Introduction
RATIONALE:
Extremophiles possess specialized adaptations.
e.g., toxic components
Many chemicals poisonous at high doses are
effective drugs at low doses, or when modified
Species in a family have shared genes and
characteristics
OBJECTIVES:
Identify AWC-associated species that are in
families with known medicinal or toxic
properties. The aim: explore pharmaceutical
potential of these extremophiles.

Major problems in toxic plant studies
Literature contradictory and incomplete
Plant identifications possibly faulty
Toxicity involves the interrelation of: Dose –
rarely know, Absorption, GI lesion,
Detoxicification, Excretion
Plant’s toxic content varies with: Genetics –
horticultural manipulation, Environment – during
growth; cooking et al., Life stage, Season
Variation in susceptibility among animals species,
individuals, pre-exposure, life stage, health

Families with Toxic Species
Araceae (Aroids or Calla)
Ericaceae (Heaths)
Liliaceae (Lilies)
Solanaceae (Potato family)

Ericaceae (Heaths)overview
Wide distribution, high diversity: 44 species in 16 genera cooccur
with C. thyoides in all 15 states
27.5% of AWC shrub spp. are heaths
All Ericaceae may cause problems to man and animals when
ingested. Honey from heath family pollen may transmit poison
.

Ericacea Species and Distribution Table 1: Flora Associated with Atlantic White Cedar Chamaecyparis thyoides Ericaceae
Scientific Name Common Name ME NH MA RI CT NY NJ DE MD VA NC SC GA FL AL
Andromeda polifolia Bog-rosemary X X X X
Chamaedaphne calyculata Leatherleaf, Cassandra X X X X X X
Empetrum nigrum Black Crowberry X
Epigaea repens Mayflower, Trailing Arbutus X X X
Eubotrys racemosa Swamp Doghobble, Swamp Fetterbush X X X X X X X X X X
Gaultheria hispidula Creeping Snowberry, Moxie-plum, Moxie X X X X X X
Gaultheria procumbens Wintergreen, Checkerberry, Teaberry X X X X X X X X
Gaylussacia baccata Black Huckleberry X X X X X
Gaylussacia dumosa Dwarf or Bog-huckleberry X X X X X
Gaylussacia frondosa Dangleberry, Blue Tangle X X X X X X X X
Gaylussacia mosieri Woolly Huckleberry X
Gaylussacia sp. Huckleberry X
Kalmia angustifolia Sheep-laurel, Lambkill, Wicky X X X X X X X X X X
Kalmia cuneata Whitewicky X
Kalmia latifolia Mountain-laurel X X X X X X X X X
Kalmia polifolia Bog- or Pale Laurel X X X X
Ledum groenlandicum Labrador Tea X X
Leiophyllum buxifolium Sandmyrtle X X
Leucothoe axillaris Coastal Doghobble X X X
Leucothoe sp. Doghobble X
Lyonia fruticosa Coastal Plain Staggerbush X
Lyonia ligustrina Maleberry, Male Blueberry X X X X X X X X X X X
Lyonia lucida Fetterbush Lyonia X X X X
Lyonia mariana Piedmont Staggerbush X X
Monotropa uniflora Indian Pipe X X X X
Oxydendrum arboreum Sourwood X X
Rhododendron canadense Rhodora X X X
Rhododendron maximum Great Laurel, Rhododendron, Rosebay X X X X X
Rhododendron periclymenoides Pinxter-flower, Election-pink, Pink Azalea X X X X
Rhododendron sp. Rhododendron X X X
Rhododendron viscosum Swamp-azalea or -honeysuckle X X X X X X X X X X X
Vaccinium angustifolium Lowbush Blueberry X
Vaccinium caesariense New Jersey Blueberry X
Vaccinium corymbosum Highbush Blueberry X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Vaccinium elliottii Elliott's Blueberry X
Vaccinium macrocarpon Large or American Cranberry X X X X X X X
Vaccinium oxycoccus Small or Wren's Egg Cranberry X X X X
Vaccinium pallidum Blue Ridge Blueberry X
Vaccinium sp. Blueberry X X X
Vaccinium stamineum Deerberry X

Ericaceae Properties
Toxic chemicals (partial list): arbutin andromedotoxin
grayanotoxins, resinoids (composition unknown)
Toxic parts of plant
Economic botany: wines, herbal remedies; tanning; :charcoal,
animal fodder, briar pipes. Many berries edible.

Ericaceae Effects of Toxins
• Symptoms:
• Gastrointestinal
• Neurological
• Respiratory
• Coma
, and…..

Araceae (Aroids, Calla) overview
• Species list and distribution: See Table 2
• Toxic factor; deactivation method
• Poisonous plant parts
• Symptoms
• Toxic factor; deactivation method
• Economic botany (limited!)

Table 2 Araceae species List; distribution
SPECIES ME NH MA RI CT NY NJ DE MD VA NC SC GA FL MS
Arisaema triphyllum
(Jack-in-the-pulpit) + + + + +
Arisaema triphyllum
spp. stewardsonii
Arisaema triphyllum
spp. pusillum
Calla palustris
(Wild Calla) + + + +
+
Orontium aquaticum
(Golden Club) + + + + +
Peltandra sagittifolia
(Arrow-arum)
Peltandra virginica
(Arrow-arum) + + + + + +
Symplocarpus foetidus
(Skunk-cabbage) + + + + + +
+
+

Liliaceae (Lilies);
Solanaceae (Potato family) overview
Species list; distribution: (See Table 3a)
Toxin classes (See Table 3b)
Toxic effects Table 3c

TABLE 3a: Liliaceae, Solanaceae: Species associated with Chamaecyparis thyoides
LILIACEAE: ME NH MA RI CT NY NJ DE MD VA NC SC GA FL MS
Aletris lutea Colic-root +
Allium vineale Field Garlic +
Allium sp. Onion +
Chamaelirium luteum Fairy-wand +
Clintonia borealis Clintonia + +
Clintonia umbellulata Speckled Wood-lily + +
Helonias bullata Swamp Pink + + + + +
Hymenocallis sp. Spider-lily +
Hypoxis curtissii Curtis’ Star-grass +
Hypoxis hirsute Yellow Star-grass +
Trillium erectum Purple trillium +
Lilium canadense Canada Lily + + + + +
Lilium catesbaei Pine Lily +
Lophiola aurea Golden-crest + +
Maianthemum canadense False Lily-of-the-valley + + + + + + +
Maianthemum racemosum False Solomon’s-seal + +
Maianthemum trifolium Three-leaf Solomon’s-seal + +
Medeola virginiana Indian Cucumber-root + +
Narthecium americanum Asphodel +
Pleea tenuifolia Pleea, Rush-featherling +
Triantha racemosa False Asphodel +
Trillium undulatum Painted Trillium +
Uvularia sessilifolia Bellwort +
Xerophyllum asphodeloides Xerophyllum +
Zigadenus glaberrimus Zigadenus (Zygadenus) +
SOLANACEAE:
Solanum dulcamara Deadly Nightshade +

Table 3b: Toxin Classes of Toxic Genera of the Solanaceae and Liliaceae (partial list)
Toxin class Genera Family
Nonalkaloids Cestrum Solanaceae
Solanum Solanaceae
Tropane alkaloids Atropa Solanaceae
Pyridine/piperidine
alkaloids
Datura Solanaceae
Hyoscyamus Solanaceae
Nicotiana Solanaceae
Steroidal alkaloids Veratrum Liliaceae
From Keeler 1979
Schoenocaulon Liliaceae
Zygadenus Liliaceae
Lycopersicon Solanaceae
Solanum Solanaceae

Table 3c Effects of Toxins of the Solanaceae and Liliaceae (partial list)
Toxin Class Effects Genus/Species
Nonalkaloids cardiac glycosides Hemorrhage of lung, heart, GI
tract.
Cestrum parqui
Vitamin D3-related glycosides Calcinosis Cestrum diurnum
Excess circulating Ca, P;
extensive tissue calcification;
(death)
Tropane Alkaloids Gastric neuromuscular;
hallucinogen; teratogen; cardiac;
may lead to death
Pyridine/Piperidine Alkaloids Severe gastric, neurologic,
neuromuscular; death
Steroidal Alkaloids Used as anti-hypertensive
Used as insecticide
*Solanum malacoxylon
No C. thyoides-associated
genera
No C. thyoides-associated
genera
Veratrum Schoenocaulon

Discussion; Conclusion
Objective fulfilled: available data assembled;
illuminate gaps
Prospects; laboratory analyses; new methods of
propagation, cultivation
Medicinal potential of other taxa: rationale
Benefits

Acknowledgments
Assistance with botanical taxonomy: Jacqueline
Webster, MBL-WHOI Library Herbarium,
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Technical assistance: Isaiah Laderman, New
York University Medical Center, NYC, NY; Linda
Martini, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods
Hole, MA