Peter Denis Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 My girlfriend's son has a small business selling herbs/plants on-line. In our garden he did grow a large plant (approx 1.5 meter), which he says is very dangerous, and that's why he did put a wooden cage around it (see picture). It seems to be a kind of nettle, and according to him when you just touch it within 10 minutes you will have a rash oozing pus. And it takes 3 days before the rash disappears. And if you are so unlucky as to fall against it, you need to go to hospital. Thai people compare it with the sting of a scorpion. On my - obvious - question, why plant a dangerous thing like this in the garden his answer was that he can sell it for approx 1000 THB (which is a lot in Isaan). > Anyone knows the name of this plant/nettle, and what could be its use (medical?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatOngo Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Kratom, also still illegal! Hence the price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 Searched on Wikipedia, and found this descriptor which seems to match > Dendrocnide sinuata (meaning "tree nettle" with "wavy leaf margin" in Greek) is a poisonous plant called pulutus',[1]pulus,[1]stinging tree,[1]fever nettle,[citation needed] or elephant nettle,[2] growing in subtropical wet evergreen forests throughout Asia.[3] Some of its uses in herbal medicine have been scientifically validated.[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrocnide_sinuata Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 keep away from it !! it will sting and give you a rash !!! destroy it as fast as you can …. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 12 minutes ago, PatOngo said: Kratom, also still illegal! When I look for kratom on Wikipedia, it does not say anything about the terrible skin rash you get from the plant my girlfriend's son is growing. So maybe it is not kratom after all, but Dendrocnide sinuata or something else. Note: on Wikipedia it says kratom is not illegal is USA, but might be in Thailand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 4 minutes ago, steven100 said: keep away from it !! it will sting and give you a rash !!! destroy it as fast as you can …. Yes, that was my initial reaction also - Why grow such a dangerous thing? But it's not mine, and seems he can sell it for approx 1000 THB which in Isaan is a lot. So would not be appreciated if I destroyed it. > Do you have any idea what could be the use of this plant, as there seems to be a demand for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 There are various types of Dendrocnide sinuata as shown the leaves may vary in shape slightly. Keep away from it !! it will sting you if touched !! … please keep it out of harms way !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tifino Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 anti-burglar!! especially if they crawl through it in the dark! - better than broken glass along the roofline! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Dendrocnide sinuata has been used as medicine for curing diverse ailments including fever, chronic fever, malaria, dysentery, urinary disorder, Irregular menstruation, swelling, blindabscesses and hypersensitivity by most ethnic tribal communities of North East India including the Nishi, Apatani, Adibasi, Karbis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 1 minute ago, tifino said: anti-burglar!! especially if they crawl through it in the dark! - better than broken glass along the roofline! Yikes! But thanks for response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 3 minutes ago, tifino said: anti-burglar!! especially if they crawl through it in the dark! - better than broken glass along the roofline! yes …. plant it under all your windows and you can leave them open on humid nights without fear of a burglar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enoon Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 12 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: Yes, that was my initial reaction also - Why grow such a dangerous thing? But it's not mine, and seems he can sell it for approx 1000 THB which in Isaan is a lot. So would not be appreciated if I destroyed it. > Do you have any idea what could be the use of this plant, as there seems to be a demand for it. Herbal medicine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpoint Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Medical uses: A decoction of the roots, combined with the leaves of a Schizostachyum species, is drunk as a remedy for swollen limbs The leaves are applied externally as a treatment against scabies The plant is claimed to be used as an oral contraceptive Other uses: The sap is occasionally used as a hair wash http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Dendrocnide+sinuata Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 20 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: Yes, that was my initial reaction also - Why grow such a dangerous thing? But it's not mine, and seems he can sell it for approx 1000 THB which in Isaan is a lot. So would not be appreciated if I destroyed it. > Do you have any idea what could be the use of this plant, as there seems to be a demand for it. you can give one to the MIL as a gift …. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thian Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Last week i was pulling weeds in the garden and something hit my chest...it became burn wounds oozing push and that lasted for several days...i still don't know what happened, i guessed a hairy caterpillar which was on a tree or so....it might have been this plant....is this a weed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 7 minutes ago, Thian said: Last week i was pulling weeds in the garden and something hit my chest...it became burn wounds oozing push and that lasted for several days...i still don't know what happened, i guessed a hairy caterpillar which was on a tree or so....it might have been this plant....is this a weed? The symptoms you describe exactly match what my girlfriend's son said what happens when merely touching this cutie. Reason he caged it. According to Wikipedia > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrocnide_sinuata the treatment when being stung is > It's not sure what toxin in the plant causes such severe reactions but formic acid, serotonin, histamine, oxalic acid and tartaric acid are some of the suspects. When the antidote lime juice or turmeric is smeared on the affected areas apparently the symptoms immediately subside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thian Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 19 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: The symptoms you describe exactly match what my girlfriend's son said what happens when merely touching this cutie. Reason he caged it. According to Wikipedia > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrocnide_sinuata the treatment when being stung is > It's not sure what toxin in the plant causes such severe reactions but formic acid, serotonin, histamine, oxalic acid and tartaric acid are some of the suspects. When the antidote lime juice or turmeric is smeared on the affected areas apparently the symptoms immediately subside. Do you live in the mountains? I live in BKK which is at sea level... This nettle grows along streams and among understorey trees in wet evergreen forests between 300 metres (980 ft) – 850 metres (2,790 ft) but up to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) elevation. I still think it was a caterpillar that stung me, we have them here in the garden... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 37 minutes ago, steven100 said: Dendrocnide sinuata has been used as medicine for curing diverse ailments including fever, chronic fever, malaria, dysentery, urinary disorder, Irregular menstruation, swelling, blindabscesses and hypersensitivity by most ethnic tribal communities of North East India including the Nishi, Apatani, Adibasi, Karbis. According to the homeopathic law formulated by Hahnemann of similia similibus curentur (the same cures the same), a plant which such strong effects must be equally strong for curing like-wise symptoms when applied in diluted form. The medicinal use posted by Steven100 confirms this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tifino Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 3 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: According to the homeopathic law formulated by Hahnemann of similia similibus curentur (the same cures the same), a plant which such strong effects must be equally strong for curing like-wise symptoms when applied in diluted form. The medicinal use posted by Steven100 confirms this. imagine if this same theory could apply to magic mushrooms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 5 minutes ago, Thian said: Do you live in the mountains? I live in BKK which is at sea level... This nettle grows along streams and among understorey trees in wet evergreen forests between 300 metres (980 ft) – 850 metres (2,790 ft) but up to 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) elevation. I still think it was a caterpillar that stung me, we have them here in the garden... No, I live in KhunHan (Sisaket province), which is flat land without evergreen forests and approx 100 metres above sea level. However, my girlfriend's son did not find it in the woods, but planted/growed it (he keeps it in the shade and waters it regularly). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 2 minutes ago, tifino said: imagine if this same theory could apply to magic mushrooms! It does! It's not a 'theory' > much literature / case stories on homeopatic use of magic mushrooms. Look it up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puchaiyank Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Give the kid a 1000 baht for the plant...tell him you will give him another 1000 when he destroys it...provided he never plants another one in your home garden... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidneyw Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Think it is called "Spurned Woman!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overherebc Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 14 hours ago, Puchaiyank said: Give the kid a 1000 baht for the plant...tell him you will give him another 1000 when he destroys it...provided he never plants another one in your home garden... I would 'accidently' drop a large dollop of sodium chlorate on it when he's not around. Give him 1000 baht to buy another then rinse and repeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcho Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 In Australia up north in Cairns there is a plant, we call stinging Bush. My God if you get hit with it you are going to be in pain for days, and can kill if you a bad heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 5, 2019 Author Share Posted November 5, 2019 16 minutes ago, marcho said: In Australia up north in Cairns there is a plant, we call stinging Bush. My God if you get hit with it you are going to be in pain for days, and can kill if you a bad heart. Probably family from the S-E Asia variety > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrocnide_sinuata which my girlfriend's son has grown in my garden (firmly caged). If you look for Dendrocnide on Wikipedia, you will see that there are approx 7 varieties, and most of them are exclusively in Australia. Hiking there would require good precautions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickBradford Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 34 minutes ago, marcho said: In Australia up north in Cairns there is a plant, we call stinging Bush. My God if you get hit with it you are going to be in pain for days, and can kill if you a bad heart. That is dendrocnide moroides, the Queensland stinging plant, and I had the misfortune to fall into one while bushwalking near Cairns, getting stung on the face, arms and legs. I could hardly sleep for a month, and the pain did not completely go away for over 6 months. Not to be recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpoint Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 20 minutes ago, marcho said: In Australia up north in Cairns there is a plant, we call stinging Bush. My God if you get hit with it you are going to be in pain for days, and can kill if you a bad heart. The stinging bush is Dendrocnide moroides, also known as gympie gympie, or the suicide plant, and, as Peter Denis says, is in the same family as the Dendrocnide sinuata he describes. There's a good description on Wikipedia of what brushing against one can do to you: "Ernie Rider, who was slapped in the face and torso with the foliage in 1963, said: 'For two or three days the pain was almost unbearable; I couldn’t work or sleep, then it was pretty bad pain for another fortnight or so. The stinging persisted for two years and recurred every time I had a cold shower. ... There's nothing to rival it; it's ten times worse than anything else'." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrocnide_moroides And this little horror story: "One ex-serviceman, Cyril Bromley, fell into one of the plants during WWII training exercises, and he ended up strapped to a hospital bed, "as mad as a cut snake." Bromley also told a story of an officer who unknowingly used a leaf as toilet paper. He ended up shooting himself". https://curiosity.com/topics/the-suicide-plant-has-the-most-painful-stingers-in-the-world-curiosity/ Makes the eyes water just thinking about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted November 5, 2019 Author Share Posted November 5, 2019 Looks like it is wise to take lime-juice or turmeric with you when hiking in Australia. According to Wikipedia > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrocnide_sinuata the treatment when being stung is > It's not sure what toxin in the plant causes such severe reactions but formic acid, serotonin, histamine, oxalic acid and tartaric acid are some of the suspects. When the antidote lime juice or turmeric is smeared on the affected areas apparently the symptoms immediately subside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickBradford Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 The problem is also in the delivery of the toxins. The hairs on the leaf are like tiny syringes, which stick into the skin, with the toxin inside them. That's why the pain takes so long to dissipate. One suggested method is to try and pull the hairs out with tweezers, but since they are nearly invisible, that is not a trivial task. I relied heavily on a medicine called XXXX Heavy to get me through the worst times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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