Echium plantagineum L.
Family: Boraginaceae
Snonyms: Echium alonsoi, Echium creticum subsp. Plantagineum, Echium longistamineum, Echium lycopsis, Echium orientale, Echium plantagineum var. album, Echium plantagineum var. monodasystemon, Echium plantaginifolium, Echium plantaginoides, Echium pseudoviolaceum, Echium sennenii, Echium violaceum, Echium violaceum var. medium.
Arabic: زهرة الأفعى لسان الحمليةBulgarian: Живовлеково усойниче
Deutsch: Wegerichblättriger Natternkopf
Hornjoserbsce: Putnikołopjenata hrimanka
Russian: Синяк подорожниковый
Finnish: Piiankieli
Svenska: Blå snokört
Chinese: 车前叶蓝蓟
Caution: Purple bugloss (Echium lycopsis L. = Echium plantagineum L.) This species does contain several pyrrolizidine alkaloids, including echimidine, echiumine, and heliotrine. The plant has caused death of horses and liver damage of sheep in Australia (Cooper and Johnson 1984, Cheeke 1989). Lampe and McCann (1985) discuss toxicity of both species to humans after ingestion of herbal teas containing Echium spp. Chronic consumption can cause venoocclusive disease of the liver (Budd-Chiari syndrome), with hepatic vein thrombosis leading to cirrhosis. Purple bugloss (Echium lycopsis), which is discussed above, contains chemicals that can cause this type of problem. However, it does not appear to persist in Canada. There is no information in the literature on blueweed causing such poisoning, but it may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (Cheeke 1989). Caution is obviously warranted. Teas containing either of these plants should not be used by humans. [Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System]
68 Published articles list of Echium plantagineum
