Conium Conium maculatum L

Conium
Conium maculatum L.
FAMILY: Umbelliferae (Apiaceae)

DISTRIBUTION:
It is found in disturbed or waste areas such as roadsides and the edges of cultivated fields. Poison hemlock was introduced into North America from Europe and is and can be found in all areas of the U.S. except for dessert areas. Poison hemlock can be found growing in the same kind of habitats as the water hemlock.

DESCRIPTION
Glabrous, branching, biennial herb, to 2 m tall with smooth, purple-spotted, hollow spotted stems arising from a thick taproot. Very similar to the much more poisonous Cicuta maculata and often confused with it. However, it usually has only one fleshy taproot; there are no pithy partitions in a hollow area at the juncture of the root; stem and upper stem leaves are divided. Also, the leaf veins of the poison hemlock run to the tip of the teeth: those of the water hemlock run to the notches between the teeth. flowering umbel: 4-6 cm wide (umbels are numerous); fruit: broadly ovoid, about 3 mm, laterally constricted; petals: white

Toxic PARTS:
All parts of Conium maculatum are extremely poisonous. Some studies reveal toxicosis at 0.25% (green-weight basis) of a horse's weight; 0.5% for a cow's. In contrast, experimental feeding studies on a cow showed symptoms at 2% of the animal's weight and produced death at about 4%.

TOXICITY:
Gastrointestinal irritation, bloating, rapid but feeble pulse, nervousness, trembling, staggering, coldness of thee extremities. Animals will also display evidence of muscular incoordination and appear to have great abdominal pain. In animals that die, breathing ceases due to respiratory paralysis before cardiac arrest. Unlike water hemlock convulsions do not occur after eating poison hemlock.

Teratogenic effects due to ingesting poison hemlock that occur in calves and piglets include crooked legs, cleft plate and kinked tails. Arthrogrypotic skeletal malformations occur in calves when poison hemlock is ingested by pregnant cows between 40-70 days of gestation. Similar skeletal lesions occur in pigs between days 40-61 of gestation. Cleft plates can occur in piglets if pregnant swine ingest poison hemlock between days 30-45 of gestation.

TOXIC PRINCIPLES:
Alkaloids Gamma-coniceine, coniine, N-methylconiine, conLydrine, lambbaconiceine, and pesudoconhydrine. Toxicity levels vary with the stage of growth (time of year), plant part, and the plant's geographic location. The Conium alkaloids are similar in structure and function to nicotine. Gamma-coniceine appears to be the major alkaloid in the vegetative stage. Flowers and immature fruit contain coniine and N-methylconiine. In mature fruit the alkaloid is Nmethylconiine. The root contains the least amount of toxins; mature seeds contain the greatest. It has been shown experimentally that the toxic principles in a plant vary even from hour to hour.

TREATMENT:
Gastric lavage, emesis ;Saline catharic;Artificial respiration and oxygen;Anti-convulsents(e.g. parental short acting barbiturates).