Biology:Cerbera odollam
| Cerbera odollam | |
|---|---|
| |
| Cerbera odollam, or the "pong-pong" tree | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Cerbera |
| Species: | C. odollam
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cerbera odollam Gaertn.
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| Synonyms | |
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Cerbera dilatata Markgr. | |
Cerbera odollam is a tree species in the family Apocynaceae commonly known as the suicide tree or pong-pong.[1] It bears a fruit known as othalanga that yields a potent poison that has been used for suicide and trials by ordeal.[2]
It is native to South and Southeast Asia and to Queensland, Australia,[3] growing preferentially in coastal salt swamps and in marshy areas but also grown as a hedge plant between home compounds.[citation needed]
Common names
Cerbera odollam is known by a number of vernacular names, depending on the region. These include othalam (ഒതളം) in the Malayalam language used in Kerala, India; kattu arali (காட்டரளி) in the adjacent state of Tamil Nadu; dabur (ডাবুর) in Bengali; famentana, kisopo, samanta or tangena in Madagascar; and pong-pong, buta-buta, bintaro or nyan in Southeast Asia.[4]
Description
Cerbera odollam bears a close resemblance to oleander, another highly toxic plant from the same family. Its branchlets are whorled about the trunk, and its leaves are terminally crowded, with tapering bases, acuminate apices, and entire margins. The plant as a whole yields a milky, white latex.[citation needed]
Its fruit, when still green, looks like a small mango, with a green fibrous shell enclosing an ovoid kernel measuring approximately 2 cm × 1.5 cm and consisting of two cross-matching white fleshy halves. On exposure to air, the white kernel turns violet, then dark grey, and ultimately brown, or black.[citation needed]
Toxicity
The kernels of C. odollam contain cerberin, a digoxin-type cardenolide and cardiac glycoside toxin that blocks the calcium ion channels in heart muscle, causing disruption of the heart beat, most often fatally.[5] The most common symptom of toxicity in humans was noted to be vomiting. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were noted to be common, the most common being sinus bradycardia. Around half of the patients develop thrombocytopenia. Temporary cardiac pacing has been used in the management, apart from other supportive measures.[6] The difficulty in detecting cerberin in autopsies and the ability of strong spices to mask its taste makes it an agent of homicide and suicide in India ; there were more than 500 cases of fatal Cerbera poisoning between 1989 and 1999 in the southern Indian state of Kerala.[4][7]
A fatal dose of the poison is contained in one kernel, leading to death within 1–2 days.
Common symptoms include:
- burning sensation in mouth
- violent vomiting
- irregular respiration
- headache
- irregular heartbeat
- coma and eventual death
Uses
The fruits are used for manufacturing bioinsecticides and deodorants.[8][9]
Investigations have also been made into the feasibility of using the seeds as a feedstock in the production of biodiesel.[10]
See also
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cerbera odollam. |
- ↑ Wermuth, Mary E.; Vohra, Rais; Bowman, Nena; Furbee, R. Brent; Rusyniak, Daniel E. (October 2018). "Cardiac Toxicity from Intentional Ingestion of Pong-Pong Seeds (Cerbera Odollam)". The Journal of Emergency Medicine 55 (4): 507–511. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.05.021. ISSN 0736-4679. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29941374/. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ↑ Kaplan, Sarah (25 October 2021). "The brutal harvest of India’s ‘suicide tree’". Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/05/08/the-brutal-harvest-of-indias-suicide-tree/.
- ↑ "Cerbera odollam Gaertn." (in en). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/77913-1. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gaillard Y, Krishnamoorthy A, Bevalot F., 2004, "Cerbera odollam: a 'suicide tree' and cause of death in the state of Kerala, India," J. Ethnopharmacol. 95(2-3):123-126.
- ↑ Menezes, Ritesh G.; Usman, Muhammad Shariq; Hussain, Syed Ather; Madadin, Mohammed; Siddiqi, Tariq Jamal; Fatima, Huda; Ram, Pradhum; Pasha, Syed Bilal et al. (August 2018). "Cerbera Odollam Toxicity: A Review". Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine 58: 113–116. doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2018.05.007. ISSN 1878-7487. PMID 29778924. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29778924/.
- ↑ Menon, M Suraj (2016). "Clinical profile and management of poisoning with suicide tree: An observational study". Heart Views 17 (4): 136–139. doi:10.4103/1995-705X.201783. PMID 28400936.
- ↑ James Randerson, 2004, "'Suicide tree' toxin is 'perfect' murder weapon" [commentary on Gaillard, et al., 2004, op. cit.], New Scientist (online), November 26, 2004, see [1], accessed 18 June 2015.
- ↑ P.I. Rajeev, 2007, "‘Suicide fruit’ now a rich harvest?," The Indian Express (online), February 3, 2007, see [2], accessed 18 June 2015.
- ↑ Sarah Kaplan, 2015, "Morning Mix: The brutal harvest of India’s ‘suicide tree’," The Washington Post (online), May 8, 2015, see [3], accessed 18 June 2015.
- ↑ Kansedo, Jibrail; Lee, Keat Teong; Bhatia, Subhash (2009). "Cerbera odollam (sea mango) oil as a promising non-edible feedstock for biodiesel production". Fuel 88 (6): 1148–1150. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2008.12.004.
Wikidata ☰ Q191514 entry
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