The Hidden Danger in Your Home? Unmasking the Toxicity of the Woodland lettuce Plant.
1
The fluid from woodland lettuce has lactucarium, a gentle sedative.
2
Ingesting very large quantities of woodland lettuce's fluid may lead to fatality due to heart failure.
3
Woodland lettuce is commonly found across central Canada and the eastern and central regions of the United States.
Is Woodland lettuce harmful to people?
Ingesting significant amounts of woodland lettuce's milky fluid is the most probable cause of poisoning. This fluid contains lactucarium, a mild narcotic, which exudes from any plant injuries. The concentration of this compound is highest when the plant is producing seeds. Extremely large quantities of the fluid can result in death due to heart paralysis. Smaller amounts of the fluid may cause minor effects like sleepiness and agitation. This plant is commonly found in wooded gardens, and it is especially prevalent across central Canada and the eastern and central United States.
