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Health hazards for humans and animals by poison in Jakobskreuzkraut
Over the past few years, reports have repeatedly been made of the increased spread of poisonous St. James in Germany. In the feed, the yellow-flowering plant can be dangerous to cattle or horses. But there are also risks for humans. The plant should be better controlled in the future.
Farmers Association calls for better control of the poisonous plant
Especially for grazing animals, the highly toxic St. Jacob's wort is a problem. The Baden-Württemberg farmers' association (LBV) therefore calls for better control of the yellow-flowering plant. As reported by the news agency dpa, the LBV Vice President Gerhard Glaser said on Monday in Kirchheim unter Teck (circle Esslingen) that the road administration should mow regularly affected areas before the bloom of the poisonous plant. Land Animal Welfare Commissioner Cornelie Jäger explained that it should be prevented, in particular, that the seeds of the plants are spread by the wind and that more and more forage areas are infested with the herb. According to LBV, the plant is especially dangerous for grazing animals. In the long term, smaller amounts could be fatal by accumulation in the liver. The animals avoid the ragwort in its fresh state mostly because of its unpleasant odor. This is hardly noticeable in the hay.
Picture: petrabarz - fotolia Health hazard also for humans
Since St. John's Day ragweed looks very similar to St. John's wort, some people have been seriously and sometimes fatally poisoned in the past. The contained Pyrrolizidinalkaloide can cause liver damage and provoke even liver cancer in the worst case. In 2011, the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture had reported that a senior died because he had drunk a herbal tea that was contaminated with ragwort. And last year, consumer advocates had informed that they could detect carcinogenic plant toxins in chamomile tea, which could come from plants such as the ragwort. (Ad)