Is morning glory poisonous? The latest answer is here
Morning glory, also known as trumpet flower, morning glory, morning face flower, etc., is an annual twining herbaceous flower of the genus Ipomoea in the family Convolvulaceae. It has been part of the ranks of traditional famous flowers for more than a thousand years. It is not only recorded in flower manuals, flower records, and famous works, but has also been praised in many poems and essays through the ages. The flowering period is from June to October, and most blooms open in the morning and fade by noon. Now let us take a look together at whether morning glory is poisonous!
Is morning glory poisonous?
Morning glory is poisonous. The whole plant of morning glory is poisonous, with the seeds being the most toxic. It contains substances such as pharbitin. When taken in large amounts, besides directly irritating the gastrointestinal tract and causing vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloody stools, it may also irritate the kidneys and cause blood in the urine. In severe cases, it can damage the cranial nerves. In particular, if the hypoglossal nerve is severely damaged, it can cause paralysis of tongue movement and lead to speech impairment, and may even cause symptoms of poisoning such as coma. After harvesting the seeds, care should be taken in storing them, especially to prevent accidental ingestion by children.
Medicinal value of morning glory
The seeds of morning glory are a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. The black ones are called “black Chou”, and the pale yellow ones are called “white Chou”. They contain resin glycosides, pigments, fatty oils, organic acids, and other components. Black Chou is mostly used in medicine, and it has the effect of purging water and promoting urination. It mainly treats edema and abdominal distension, difficulty in urination and defecation, and other conditions. The traditional Chinese medicine black Chou, that is, the seeds of the black morning glory, is ground into fine powder and mixed with egg white, applied to the affected area before bedtime, and washed off with clear water early the next morning. Used continuously for one week, it has the effect of eliminating freckles. Special note: black Chou has a certain mild toxicity, so it must never be taken orally.
Medicinal effects of morning glory
1. Purging: Morning glory seeds contain pharbitin, pharbitic acid A, and gallic acid, and have a strong purgative effect. In the intestines, upon encountering bile and intestinal fluids, they break down into pharbitin, which stimulates the intestinal tract, increases peristalsis, and causes diarrhea.
2. Diuresis and reducing swelling: Morning glory has a very good diuretic and swelling-reducing effect. Limb edema, nephritic edema, and even ascites due to cirrhosis can all be treated with morning glory.
3. Treating insect bites: The leaves of morning glory can be used as medicine for insect bites. They can not only treat mosquito bites, but are also very effective for bites from centipedes and yellow wasps. Take three or four morning glory leaves and rub them with both hands to produce a sticky juice, then rub the bitten area together with the morning glory leaves. The pain and itching stop immediately, and afterward no fluid will ooze out.
4. Removing freckles: The traditional Chinese medicine black morning glory seeds can also remove freckles. The method is to grind the black morning glory seeds into fine powder, add egg white, apply to the affected area before bedtime, and wash off with clear water early the next morning. Used continuously for one week, it can eliminate freckles. Special note: black morning glory seeds have a certain mild toxicity, so they must never be taken orally.