Are yew berries poisonous?

[STYRBJORN]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

I've tried Deadly Nightshade. I just chewed a couple of the berries to get the flavour and spat them out. They had an insipid slightly sweetish taste.

Jim

IIRC, witches in the 17thC used to make up an ointment with Nightshade berries, and smear it on their skin. The ah active ingredient is belladonna which induces dreams of flying, is a powerful aphrodisiac, and seriously toxic. It is not secreted from the body, so where one dose may turn you on, the next will turn you off. It is available on the black market!

Don't ask.

[John_M]

Originally Posted by STYRBJORN

IIRC, witches in the 17thC used to make up an ointment with Nightshade berries, and smear it on their skin. The ah active ingredient is belladonna which induces dreams of flying, is a powerful aphrodisiac, and seriously toxic. It is not secreted from the body, so where one dose may turn you on, the next will turn you off. It is available on the black market!

Don't ask.

Pretty sure it was Henbane, sometimes called Stinking Nightshade. Active ingredients are Hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Belladonna is just another name for Deadly Nightshade.

[Littlesparrow]

why risk it? stick to Blackberries.

[STYRBJORN]

Originally Posted by John_M

Pretty sure it was Henbane, sometimes called Stinking Nightshade. Active ingredients are Hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Belladonna is just another name for Deadly Nightshade.

I don't doubt you! Anything that starts "Hyo . . ." is dodgy, and Scop was used as a truth drug in the '60s. Although we're way off thread, I just wanted to stress that messing with some of these "Natural" drugs is NOT a good idea.
Belladonna is the beautiful lady. Of death.

[Deb London]

Re, Yew. Although I may eat the odd aril, this is one I hardly ever talk about. The risks of misunderstanding and not remembering are too great.

[Farplace]

Do we not think that this thread is getting as dangerous as the "Is My Fungus Edible" types?

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Littlesparrow

why risk it? stick to Blackberries.

What doesn't kill me will make me strong!

;^)

Jim

[Fauna]

I've tried them in the past and they were not to my liking, to snotty. I've always told my children that they are edible but not worth the risk. Not sure if they are proven to be safe in large quanities?

I read on another forum that some one made a alcoholic drink out of the berries and got severe kidney pains from drinking one small glass.

Its seems that people also put the berry in their mouth and spit out the seed. Another possible risk here is if they damage the seed in the process, people can vary in their resistance to these toxins. Also, has the seed become damaged unnoticed in the aril and leeched out toxins??

I believe the "berry" is a bit "hit of miss" for my liking...

[Johnny Redgate]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Re, Yew. Although I may eat the odd aril, this is one I hardly ever talk about. The risks of misunderstanding and not remembering are too great.

Yep. That's why I deleted my previous post.

[Deb London]

I think for the purposes of the internet, I'll say YES THEY ARE VERY POISONOUS.