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| Aethusa cynapium | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Subfamily: | Apioideae |
| Tribe: | Selineae |
| Genus: | Aethusa |
| Species: | A. cynapium |
| Binomial name | |
| Aethusa cynapium | |
| Subspecies[1] | |
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Aethusa cynapium (fool's parsley,fool's cicely, orpoison parsley) is anannual (rarelybiennial)herb in theflowering plant familyApiaceae, native toEurope, westernAsia, and northwestAfrica. It is the only member of the genusAethusa. It is related tohemlock andwater-dropwort, and like them it ispoisonous,[2] though less so than hemlock. It has been introduced into many other parts of the world and is a common weed in cultivated ground.[3]
Aethusa cynapium has afusiform root and a smooth hollow branched stem growing to about 80 cm (31 in) high, with much divided (ternately pinnate) smoothleaves with an unpleasant smell, and small compoundumbels of small irregular whiteflowers.[3]
Aethusa cynapium was given its accepted scientific name byCarl Linnaeus in 1753.[1] It is the sole species in the genusAethusa which is part of the familyApiaceae.[4]
It has three acceptedsubspecies according toPlants of the World Online:[1]
Thecommon names for the species includefool's parsley,dog poison,dog's parsley,garden hemlock, andlesser hemlock.[5]
A. cynapium is poisonous when fresh, but safe if dried.A. cynapium's toxic effects are caused at least in part bycynopine, which resemblesconiine in its physical and chemical characters as well as physiological actions. The whole plant is toxic with thisalkaloid. Toxins like cynopine are destroyed by drying.A. cynapium also containstrideca-7,9-11-trienoic acid,aethusin,aethusanol A,aethusanol B, as well asflavone glycosides such asrutoside,narcissine, andascorbic acid.[6][7][8]
The parts ofA. cynapium that grow above the ground are sometimes used to make medicine. The plants has been used in traditional medicine to treat complaints in children, infantile cholera, summer diarrhea, convulsions, mental tension, sleep disorders, delirium, and as stomachic.A. cynapium has actually been shown to cause antianxiety effects in mice because it containstrideca-7,9,11-trienoic acid.[6][7][8]
Poisoning fromA. cynapium results in symptoms of heat in the mouth and throat. A post-mortem examination has shown redness of the membrane lining thegullet andwindpipe, along with symptoms of slight congestion within theduodenum and stomach. Some toxins are destroyed by drying, and indeed, driedhay containing the plant is not poisonous at all.[7]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Fool's Parsley".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 616.
Media related toAethusa cynapium at Wikimedia Commons