General poisoning notes:

Western bleedingheart (Dicentra formosa) is a native herb found in the rich forests of southwestern British Columbia. The plant contains the toxic alkaloid protopine and other alkaloids. This chemical is also found in the other Dicentra species. Experimental injection of plant extracts has caused poisoning and death in mice (Black et al. 1930).

References:

Black, O. F., Eggleston, W. W., Kelly, J. W. 1930. Toxicity of Bikukulla formosa (western bleedingheart). Vet. J., 40: 917-920.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Dicentra formosa (Andr.) Walp.

Vernacular name(s): western bleedingheart

Scientific family name: Fumariaceae

Vernacular family name: frumitory

Go to ITIS*^ca for more taxonomic information on: Dicentra formosa

References:

Agriculture Quebec. 1975. Noms des maladies des plantes du Canada/ Names of plant diseases in Canada. , Quebec City, Que., Canada. 288 pp.

Alex, J. F., Cayouette, R., Mulligan, G. A. 1980. Common and botanical names of weeds in Canada/Noms populaire et scientifiques des plantes nuisibles du Canada. Revised. Agric. Can. Publ., Ottawa, Ont., Canada. 132 pp.

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Scoggan, H. J. 1978, 1979. The flora of Canada. Nat. Mus. Nat. Sci. (Ottawa) Publ. Bot. 7(1)-7(4). 1711 pp.

Van Wijk, H. L. 1911. A dictionary of plant names. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, The Netherlands. 1444 pp.

Victorin, M. 1964. Flore Laurentienne. 2nd ed. Univ. Montreal, Montreal, Que., Canada. 952 pp.

Geographic Information

British Columbia

References:

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Boivin, B. 1966, 1967. Énumération des plantes du Canada. Provencheria 6. Nat. Can. (Que.) 93: 253-274; 371-437; 583-646; 989-1063. 94: 131-157; 471-528; 625-655.

Image or illustration

western bleedingheart:

Images: images.google.com

Toxic parts:

leaves

References:

Black, O. F., Eggleston, W. W., Kelly, J. W. 1930. Toxicity of Bikukulla formosa (western bleedingheart). Vet. J., 40: 917-920.

Toxic plant chemicals:

protopine

References:

Black, O. F., Eggleston, W. W., Kelly, J. W. 1930. Toxicity of Bikukulla formosa (western bleedingheart). Vet. J., 40: 917-920.

Animals/Human Poisoning:

Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.

Cattle

Rodents

General symptoms of poisoning:

convulsions
death
drowsiness

Notes on poisoning:

Postmortem examination of mice showed collapsed lungs, blue extremities, and a distended heart. Death was likely due to respiratory paralysis. The lethal dose from the crude alkaloids was determined to be between 2.5 and 5.0 mg for a 20-g mouse (Black et al. 1930).

References:

Black, O. F., Eggleston, W. W., Kelly, J. W. 1930. Toxicity of Bikukulla formosa (western bleedingheart). Vet. J., 40: 917-920.