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Core Eudicots: Dicotyledons V
Published in Donald H. Les, Aquatic Dicotyledons of North America, 2017
Ecology: general: All Cicuta species occur in wetlands and are regarded as OBL aquatics. The plants commonly contain insecticidal furanocoumarins, which are associated ecologically with species of wetlands and other open habitats. Cicuta is self-compatible but protandrous and “temporally dioecious, ” where there is little overlap between the male and female flowering phases within individual umbels. Consequently, the breeding system is presumed to be predominantly outcrossing. The fruits are surrounded by a corky coat, which enables them to float and they are dispersed by water. The seeds must be in water to germinate, which in all species is promoted by a 12/12 h alternating temperature regime of 15°C/21°C for 2 weeks, followed by a constant temperature of 21°C. Germination markedly decreases in dried seeds. The plants (except C. bulbifera) develop rosettes during their first year from seed and require a vernalization period in order to flower. All species overwinter by their persistent rootstocks. The repeated replacement of rootstocks each fall results in clonal growth that can persist for decades. The primary root is short lived in Cicuta, and is replaced by a secondary root system during the seedling stage.
Occupational Dermatosis and Eye Hazard
Published in Ronald Scott, of Industrial Hygiene, 2018
A number of agricultural products produce the phototoxic agent furocoumarin, including celery, citrus fruits, parsley, dill, and carrots. In addition to irritation, skin may darken after exposure. Workers harvesting these crops are particularly susceptible, but anyone handling such produce extensively can be affected.
Mutagenic activity and chemical composition of phenolic-rich extracts of leaves from two species of Ficus medicinal plants
Published in Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 2018
Hugo Vianna Silva Rody, Douglas da Costa Gontijo, Victor Peçanha de Miranda Coelho, Marília Contin Ventrella, Rodrigo Maia de Pádua, Luciano Gomes Fietto, João Paulo Viana Leite
Flavonoids, coumarins and alkaloids were isolated from the leaves (Chang et al. 2005), roots and bark of Ficus species (Lansky et al. 2008). Despite the widespread use of these plants in popular medicine, adverse effects have also been attributed to some Ficus species (Bafor and Igbinuwen 2009; Lansky et al. 2008; Petersen 2011). It is well-known that furanocoumarins, a class of phototoxins found in Ficus were linked to genotoxic and carcinogenic activities (Oliveira et al. 2012; Singh, Singh, and Goel 2011; Sproll et al. 2008). Studies in rats and mice revealed that chronic oral exposure to coumarin may lead to hepatic adenomas and carcinomas (Carlton, Aubrun, and Simon 1996; Lake 1999). Further, phenolic compounds, frequently found in Ficus, are related to antioxidant activities (Carmona et al. 2017; Q-N. et al. 2017; Trindade et al. 2016), and are widely investigated for the prevention of human diseases, including cancer, atherosclerosis and other inflammatory diseases (Arunachalam and Parimelazhagan 2013; Shi et al. 2011). Conversely, antioxidants may also exhibit pro-oxidant activities that, depending on the target cell, degrade DNA by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and/or reactive nitrogen species (RNS) (Choueiri et al. 2012; Labieniec, Gabryelak, and Falcioni 2003; Lambert and Elias 2010). In some cases, antioxidants may lower ROS to levels that compromise cell signaling, which might enhance the risk of diseases such as lung cancer (Albanes et al. 1995).