Properties: Bitter, cold, slightly toxic

Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart

1. Resolves Toxicity and disperses swelling
   Toxic swelling sores and carbuncles, scab and lichen
   Scabies and stubborn ringworm
   Bruises, traumatic swelling and pain

Suggested Daily Dosage: 3-6g in decoction but more usually pounded and applied externally.

Cautions: This plant contains cyanogenic glucosides which have to be removed by peeling, slicing and soaking for 4-6 days, then cooked by boiling or roasting before eating. Bitter varieties may have to grated or pounded first as their toxic composition is much higher.

Mild symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness; severe symptoms include difficulty in breathing, rapid heartbeat, dilated pupils, and even coma, and finally convulsions, shock, and death due to respiratory failure. It can also cause chronic diseases such as goiter, fatty liver, and damage to optic and motor nerves.

• Linamarin
  Cyanogenic glucoside found in the cell walls that produces hydrogen cyanide on hydrolysis when acted on by enzymes. It is particularly prevalent in the bitter varieties and converted to cyanide by linamarase when crushed or pounded.
• Lotaustralin
  Another cyanogenic glucoside found in the cell walls that produces hydrogen cyanide on hydrolysis when acted on by enzymes. It is particularly prevalent in the bitter varieties and converted to cyanide by linamarase when crushed or pounded.
• Cyanide
  Toxic one carbon compound that is created from the action of linamarase on linamarin and lotaustralin. It acts as an inhibitor of cytochrome c oxidase in the fourth complex of the electron transport chain of the mitochondrial membrane. It complexes with the ferric iron atom in this enzyme preventing the transport of electrons from cytochrome c oxidase to oxygen, resulting in disruption of the electron transport chain and the cell being no longer able to produce ATP aerobically. Many plants produce this as a defence against predators including cassava and sorghum. Many other nuts and seeds also produce amygdalin that metabolised into cyanide and is found in almonds, apricot, peach, cherry and apple seeds. The lethal dose in humans is between 0.5 and 3.5 mg/kg of body weight ((Aranguri-Llerena & Siche, 2020).

Notes:

Although dangerous to eat the production of cyanide when pounded may be the very therapeutic compounds that work when applied externally, poisoning parasites while having minimal skin absorption.