Around the world, there are many plants that can cause irritating effects if you make contact with it or get close to it, etc. For example, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, nettles, etc, are all plants that can cause some sort of irritation on your body. The effects of these plants could be rashes on your skin, hives, diarrhea, blisters, bumps and different body pains. However, the cells in human and animal bodies react differently to different plants.
Below are 2 common example of these types of plants with a detailed explanation of how they can affect the cells in humans and animals:
Poison ivy
What is poison ivy? Poison ivy is a toxic plant that is commonly found throughout most of United States. While poison ivy can grow in completely wild areas, it often grows in places that have been affected by humans, such as the sides of roads and trails, or on the edges of cleared plots of land. When a human makes contact with this toxic plant, it often causes a rash, known as contact dermatitis. As time goes by without treatment, the rash may develop into increased redness, swelling, and blisters, which are often itchy and painful. In a rare occasion, if the reaction to the ivy is mild, it can be treated at home using home remedies or OTC (over-the-counter) medicines. If the reaction is severe, you should search for medical treatment.
How does it affect animals? The affect on most animals is not much different. Since the animals also have cells from the immune system, a graze of the oil from the poison ivy would affect them the same way as us humans. However, some animals like a cat, have fur covering their whole body, which protects them from the oil. While, dog or rabbit do not have fur covering some areas on their body.
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How does it affect humans?
Our skin is filled with special cells of the immune system. These cells protect the skin and body against viruses, bacteria and other threats. Whenever these cells detect a suspicious substance, they begin a chain reaction in the skin that leads to inflammation. As I mentioned before in this paragraph, the medical name for this reaction is dermatitis. But it’s more commonly known as a rash.
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Deadly nightshade
What is deadly nightshade?This plant, also known as Belladonna, is a perennial plant that grows between 2 and 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) tall. It has dull, dark green leaves and bell-shaped purple, scented flowers, which bloom from mid-summer through early fall. This plant normally grows in Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. Deadly nightshade berries are green when they form and turn to a shiny black as they turn ripe. They're sweet and juicy, which makes them tempting for children to eat.
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How does it affect humans?
Eating as much as 2 berries of this plant can kill a child. That obviously has a big affect on the body because all cells die when a person is killed. If the same amount of berries are digested by a teenager or an adult, the affects are still severe. It would take around 10-20 berries digested to kill a teenager or adult. The poisons contained in deadly nightshade affect the nervous system. Taken in sufficient doses, the deadly poison paralyzes nerve endings in the involuntary muscles of the body, such as the blood vessels and the heart. This affect cells in the nervous system because paralysis in the body will kill the cells in that organ or system. Unfortunately, there are no cures for paralysis so there is no way the cells could come back.
If the plant is just touched or grazed by, the side effects are still unpleasant. Deadly nightshade poisoning would dilate their pupils, make them more sensitive to light, blur their vision, give them headaches, confusion and convulsions |
HOw does it affect Animals?
Not all animals are affected by deadly nightshade. While it's deadly to humans and some animals, horses, rabbits, and sheep can eat the leaves without harm, and birds can feed on the berries. The animals that are impacted by this plant have the same side effects as humans. Animals like squirrels, dogs and cats could be affected as bad as death when they digest a berry.
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Although there are only 2 examples, there are so many more plants that are dangerous to human and animal cells. Some other plants that are dangerous include nettles, stinging nettles and hemlock.