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This site regularly receives emails asking for advice. But there can be no better explanation of its existence than an
email received from a teenage girl. She had removed ragwort without wearing gloves and after she had done this had
heard the false scare story that you can be poisoned by handling it. In a real panic she didn't really understand all
the technical pages on this site and was genuinely worried that
she might die. In fact the story that ragwort is dangerous to handle is basically an urban myth. There is no proper
evidence at all that this is true. This page is based on
the reply that was sent. This is a very common myth and the pages and the access logs for this site show that it is
one of the most common terms in the searches. Therefore this extra page has been added with a really simple explanation.
This is a technical subject, so this should be useful for anyone who might not be used to dealing
with the complicated science. A more technical explanation
is available here Ragwort Humans.
A recent addtion to this site is the Ragwort Forum where you can discuss this issue.
First of all the chemicals in Ragwort are not very poisonous. You would have to eat several pounds to really poison you.
These chemicals can pass through the skin but this has been studied and they don't pass through very well. In
fact you you have to apply between twenty and fifty times more to get the same amount to actually get into your body
than if you were to eat it. But the science tells us something which means you shouldn't need to worry at all.When
the chemicals are in the ragwort plant they actually aren't poisonous. It is only if they are eaten that they change
into an active form which can cause problems. It is only this active form that is poisonous. Without passing through
the gut the chemicals are harmless.
Of course if the ragwort poisons get in through your skin they can't get
activated they just go into your blood and are just passed out out of the body within a matter of hours.
Please please do not worry. It is probably best to wear gloves in future not because of the poison in
ragwort but because ragwort like many members of the daisy family has another set of chemicals which aren't
poisonous but which can cause an itchy rash for a few days. Also you might be sensitive to other plants you
might pick up by accident even if it is only a stinging nettle that you didn't see.
I get this information
from reading lots of scientific books and papers written by experts who have studied things and had their
research checked by other experts before they were published. The nasty chemicals in ragwort are actually
present in lots of other flowers. About one in every thirty kinds of plant has them. One of these other
plants has been used for many years as a herbal remedy to make ointments that are put on the skin. I am
sure it does no harm either
If you want more information there is also this website.
Ragwort Facts and Myths .
It is written by a Dutch woman. She was very concerned about ragwort until she asked some scientists about it.
She realised that people
were being frightened for no need and gathered up a list of scientists to help her write the site.
She has had this special version of the site prepared in English. I hope this explains it. Don't
worry. Basically ragwort cannot poison your liver from you handling it. You have to eat it and quite
a lot of it to be poisoned.
Relax and enjoy your life. I'm sure you're going to be fine.
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