Digital Libraries
Texas A&M University


http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/~sangita/wholeast.htm

"All parts of this plant are extremely toxic--one leaf can be enough
to kill an adult, and even water in which the flowers have been placed
is toxic. The toxic principles are cardioactive glycosides similar to
digitalis (Lampe 1985). The smoke from burning wood is also
potentially toxic, and there are reports (possibly anecdotal) of
children being poisoned from using the branches as hotdog roasting
sticks."



http://chemweb.calpoly.edu/chem/bail...rsF2000/Colin/
Oleander

By Colin Nordstrom



Chem 377 Drugs and Poisons

Dr. Bailey

Fall 2000

"This plant is extremely poisonous, as death has even occurred when a
branch was used to roast a hot dog over a fire. Although this plant
is highly toxic, the Oleander plant holds promise in the medical
field. The compound Oleandrin has antitumor, bradycardic, cardiotonic,
and diuretic properties."

The only citing I can find at the CDC
http://search.cdc.gov/search97cgi/s9...=newsearch.hts


Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for
Environmental Health, CDC.
Editorial Note: The findings in this report indicate that the cases of
cardiotoxicity in
New York City resulted from ingestion of a purported aphrodisiac that
contained bufadienolides
and bufotenine and was intended for topical use. Cardioactive
steroids,
including bufadienolides, have a narrow therapeutic index ( 2 ), and
unintentional
therapeutic intoxication is well documented. These steroids can
adversely effect the
myocardium ( 3 ), and the most life-threatening manifestations of
toxicity include arrhythmias,
ventricular ectopy, sinus bradycardia, atrial arrhythmias, and
hyperkalemia
( 2 ). Cardiac steriods are found in other nontraditional therapies
such as Chan Su and
teas made from oleander ( Nerium oleander) and foxglove ( Digitalis
purpureau).








On Tue, 29 Apr 2003 00:34:51 GMT, x wrote:

Could be, but it sure sounds like urban legend.



"Nature, left alone, is in perfect balance.
Harmful insects and plant diseases are always present,
but do not occur in nature to an extent which requires the use of poisonous chemicals.
The sensible approach to disease and insect control is to grow sturdy crops in a healthy environment."

Masanobu Fukuoka, One Straw Revolution--1978