''Argemone mexicana'', also known by the common names Mexican poppy, Mexican prickly poppy, flowering thistle, cardo, and cardosanto, is a species of

poppy A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, '' Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug ...

found in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

and now widely

naturalized Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...

in many parts of the world. An extremely hardy pioneer plant, it is tolerant of drought and poor soil, often being the only cover on new road cuttings or verges. It has bright yellow

latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latices are found in nature, but synthetic latices are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a wikt:milky, milky fluid, which is present in 10% of all floweri ...

. It is poisonous to grazing animals, and it is rarely eaten, but it has been used medicinally by many peoples, including those in its native area, as well as the

indigenous peoples There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

of the western United States, parts of

, and many parts of India. In India, during the colorful festival Holika Dahan, adults and children worship by offering flowers, and this species is in its maximum flowering phase during March when the Holi festival is celebrated. It is also referred to as "kateli ka phool" in India.

Chemical constituents

''Argemone mexicana'' seeds contain 22–36% of a pale yellow non-edible oil, called ''argemone oil'' or ''katkar oil'', which contains the toxic

alkaloid Alkaloids are a broad class of natural product, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. Some synthetic compounds of similar structure may also be termed alkaloids. Alkaloids are produced by a large varie ...

sanguinarine Sanguinarine is a polycyclic quaternary alkaloid. It is extracted from some plants, including the bloodroot plant, from whose scientific name, ''Sanguinaria canadensis,'' its name is derived; the Mexican prickly poppy (''Argemone mexicana''); ''C ...

and dihydrosanguinarine. Four quaternary isoquinoline alkaloids, dehydrocorydalmine, jatrorrhizine, columbamine, and oxyberberine, have been isolated from the whole plant of ''Argemone mexicana''. Many other alkaloids such as argemexicaines A and B, argemonine (N meth pavine), Argepavine, O CH3 Argepavine, argemexirine, argenaxine, Argemexicaines A and B (protopine type),

coptisine Coptisine is an alkaloid found in Chinese goldthread ('' Coptis chinensis''), greater celandine, and opium. Famous for the bitter taste that it produces, it is used in Chinese herbal medicine along with the related compound berberine Berberi ...

, cryptopine, allocryptopine and

chelerythrine Chelerythrine is a benzophenanthridine alkaloid present in the plant '' Chelidonium majus'' (greater celandine). It is a potent, selective, and cell-permeable protein kinase C inhibitor ''in vitro''. And an efficacious antagonist of G-protein-co ...

have also been found in this plant. The seed pods secrete a pale yellow latex when cut open. This argemone resin contains

berberine Berberine is a Quaternary ammonium cation, quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, occurring naturally as a secondary metabolite in some plants including species of ''Berberis'', from which its name ...

and

protopine Protopine is an alkaloid occurring in opium poppy, ''Corydalis'' tubers and other plants of the family papaveraceae, like ''Fumaria officinalis''. Protopine is metabolically derived from the Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids, benzylisoquinoline alkaloi ...

Toxicity

The seeds resemble the seeds of ''

Brassica nigra ''Rhamphospermum nigrum'' (syns. ''Brassica nigra'' and ''Sinapis nigra''), black mustard, is an annual plant native to cooler regions of North Africa, temperate regions of Europe, and parts of Asia. It is cultivated for its dark-brown-to-black se ...

'' (mustard). As a result, mustard can be adulterated by argemone seeds, rendering it poisonous. Several significant instances of katkar poisoning have been reported in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

and other countries. The last major outbreak in

occurred in 1998. 1% adulteration of mustard oil by argemone oil has been shown to cause clinical disease. In India, Argemone oil is mixed with sunflower oil and sesame oil to increase the quantity, but this adulteration causes health disorders and renowned brands display "no argemone oil" to qualify purity. Katkar oil poisoning causes epidemic dropsy, with symptoms including extreme swelling, particularly of the legs. All parts of plants are poisonous. Ingestion of them can cause perianal itching, pneumonia myocarditis and

congestive cardiac failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood. Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pre ...

ascites Ascites (; , meaning "bag" or "sac") is the abnormal build-up of fluid in the abdomen. Technically, it is more than 25 ml of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, although volumes greater than one liter may occur. Symptoms may include increased abdo ...

, sarcoid-like skin changes,

alopecia Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, refers to a loss of hair from part of the head or body. Typically at least the head is involved. The severity of hair loss can vary from a small area to the entire body. Inflammation or scarring ...

hepatomegaly Hepatomegaly is enlargement of the liver. It is a non-specific sign (medicine), medical sign, having many causes, which can broadly be broken down into infection, hepatic tumours, and metabolic disorder. Often, hepatomegaly presents as an abdomin ...

Traditional medicine

The Seri of

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora (), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into Municipalities of Sonora, 72 ...

use the entire plant both fresh and dried. An infusion is made to relieve kidney pain post-natally. When the Spanish arrived in Sonora, they called it cardosanto, taken as a

laxative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...

. An ''Argemone mexicana'' tea is used in Mali to treat

malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...

. In the

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...

of India, the yellow sap of ''A. mexicana'' and the whole plant may be used as a supposed treatment for

jaundice Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a yellowish or, less frequently, greenish pigmentation of the skin and sclera due to high bilirubin levels. Jaundice in adults is typically a sign indicating the presence of underlying diseases involving ...

Other uses

Biodiesel Biodiesel is a renewable biofuel, a form of diesel fuel, derived from biological sources like vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled greases, and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made from fats. The roots of bi ...

production from ''A. mexicana'' seed oil using crystalline manganese carbonate has been demonstrated.

Invasiveness

South Africa

In South Africa, ''A. mexicana'' is classified as a category 1b invader in the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act. This indicates most activities with regards to the species are prohibited (such as importing, propagating, translocating or trading).

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q683404 Plants used in traditional Native American medicine mexicana Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus