Symptoms: Abdominal discomfort, abnormal acidity of blood, anorexia, ataxia, bad breath, congestive heart failure, constipation, coma, delirium, difficulty breathing, difficulty chewing, difficulty swallowing, enlargement of liver, laboured respiration, listlessness, liver failure, loss of appetite, muscle stiffness, muscle tremors, nausea, pain, rapid and irregular heart rate, red/brown coloured urine, reddened tongue, restlessness, vomiting, weakness.
Duration of Symptoms: Months
Rate of Poison: Days - Weeks
Causes Death: Yes
Treatment: Activated charcoal via naso-gastric tube, supportive therapy.
White snakeroot is thought to be the plant responsible for killing Abraham Lincoln's mother. Cows often ingest in white snakeroot, which causes a disease called Mad Cow Disease. Those who often get sick from white snakeroot are usually ones who drink the milk from a cow infected with the poison from white shakeroot.
Photo: Cbaile19 - Wikimedia Commons
License: Public Domain
Molecular structure of trematol (PubChem)
Trematol is a type of metabolilc poison consisting of a variety of ketones that inhibits liver enzymes. These liver enzymes are responsible for converting lactic acid to other compounds. The build up of lactic acid leads to trematol poisoning symptoms. This build up occurs in the blood, which causes the pH of the blood to decrease.
Level of Toxin: Not known
Impacting Dosage: Not known
2-senecioyl-4-(1-methoxyethyl)phenol
6-acetyl-2,2-dimethylchroman-4-one
6-hydroxytremetone
Sterol II
2-senecoiyl-4-acetylphenol
6-acetyl-5-hydroxy-8-methoxy-2,2-dimethylchromene
Dehydrotremetone
Terpene I
6-(1-hydroxyethyl)-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethylchromene
6-acetyl-7-methoxy-2,2-di-methylchromene
Hydroxytremetone
Tremetone
6,7-dimethoxy-2,2-dimethylchromene
6-acetyl-8-methoxy-2,2-dimethylchromene
Sterol I
Parts of Plant: Leaves, stems
Contact Hazard: None known
Animals Affected: All animals, especially cows and other livestock.
Notes: Poison can transfer from livestock to humans upon consumption. Most commonly, when transferred from lactating cows and goats by drinking the milk they produce.
Parts of Plant: Whole plant
Properties: Antibacterial, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, laxative, panacea, stimulant, tonic.
Components: Not known
Antidote: Snakebite
Preparation: Boiled, decoction, infusion, poultice, saline extract, smoked, tea.
Ague: Root tea
Diarrhea: Root tea
Gravel: Root tea
Revive Unconscious People: Smoked leaves.
Snakebite: Poultice from the root.
Urinary Disease: Root tea
Not known
Diarrhea: Root tea
Fever: Root tea
Inflamed Womb: Root
Kidney Stones: Root tea
Sweat: Root encourages sweating.
Toothache: Root
Urinary Disease: Root
Not known
Parts of Plant: Root
Nutrients: None known
Taste: Not known
WARNING: !DO NOT CONSUME!
Not known
Tea: Made from the root.
Illustration of White Snakeroot by USDA-NRCS PLANTS.
License: Public Domain
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Ageratina
Other Names: Richweed, White Sanicle
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Bloom Colours: White
Bloom Time: July - October
Type: Perennial
Height: 1.5 - 5 feet
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Habitat: Wooded areas
Origin: Eastern and Central North America
States: AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV
Provinces: NB, NS, ON, SK
Argentina rothrockii
(Rothrock's Snakeroot)
Photo: Patrick Alexander - Wikimedia Commons
License: Public Domain
Ageratina shastensis
(Shasta Snakeroot)
Photo: Unknown - Wikimedia Commons
License: Public Domain
Ageratina acevedoana
Ageratina apollinairei
Ageratina collodes
Ageratina cuencana
Ageratina jahnii
Ageratina mairetiana
Ageratina parayana
Ageratina ramireziorum
Ageratina rubricaulis
Ageratina wrightii
Ageratina amblyolepis
Ageratina arbutifolia
Ageratina concordiana
Ageratina dendroides
Ageratina jucunda
Ageratina mayajana
Ageratina paupercula
Ageratina resiniflua
Ageratina thyrsiflora
Ageratina ampla
Ageratina aristei
Ageratina cconspicua
Ageratina feuereri
Ageratina juxtlahuacensis
Ageratina mazatecana
Ageratina pichinchensis
Ageratina rhypodes
Ageratina triniona
Ageratina angustifolia
Ageratina blepharilepis
Ageratina contorta
Ageratina grandifolia
Ageratina lemmonii
Ageratina pacifica
Ageratina piurae
Ageratina rivalis
Ageratina viburnoides
Boddupalli, R. S. (2021). A review on most important poisonous plants and their medicinal properties. Journal of Medicinal Botany, 5, 1-13. From https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Raghava-Boddupalli/publication/358754117_A_review_on_most_important_poisonous_plants_and_their_medicinal_properties/links/623559ec5b303e5c5aa7b618/A-review-on-most-important-poisonous-plants-and-their-medicinal-properties.pdf
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Antonio, C. N. S., Selene, M. D. M., Elnatan, B. D. S., & Raquel, O. D. S. F. (2017). The genus Eupatorium L.(Asteraceae): A review of their antimicrobial activity. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 11(3), 43-57. From https://academicjournals.org/journal/JMPR/article-full-text-pdf/4F30B6962396
Boddupalli, R. S. (2021). A review on most important poisonous plants and their medicinal properties. Journal of Medicinal Botany, 5, 1-13. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Raghava-Boddupalli/publication/358754117_A_review_on_most_important_poisonous_plants_and_their_medicinal_properties/links/623559ec5b303e5c5aa7b618/A-review-on-most-important-poisonous-plants-and-their-medicinal-properties.pdf
Medicinal Herb Info. (n.d.). Snakeroot. From http://medicinalherbinfo.org/000Herbs2016/1herbs/snakeroot/
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Natural Medicinal Herbs. (n.d.). Herb: White Snakeroot. From http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/a/ageratina-altissima=white-snakeroot.php
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Date of page creation: December 1, 2022
Updated page: March 21, 2022