Grevillea robusta 銀樺

POISONOUS PARTS

Sap, sawdust, flowers and fruits.²

TOXICITY

• Toxic Constituents

  Resorcinols such as grevillol.^3–5

• Mechanism

  Resorcinols can cause allergic contact dermatitis.^4,5

• Poisoning Features

  Skin contact: allergic contact dermatitis.^2–5

• Poisoning Events

  Multiple cases of allergic contact dermatitis in arborists or woodworkers after exposure to the plant or its sawdust have been reported in Australia and New Zealand. Allergic contact dermatitis due to wearing wooden arm bracelets made from G. robusta have also been reported.^4–6

CLINICAL MANAGEMENT

Supportive treatment. Patients should avoid further contact with G. robusta. The use of topical and oral corticosteroids could be considered.^4,5

IDENTIFICATION FEATURES

Large evergreen trees, 10–25 m tall. Bark with shallow furrows and longitudinal fissures. Twigs rusty tomentose. Leaves bipinnatiparted, 15–30 cm long; lobes trifurcate, strong green adaxially, silvery and densely pubescent abaxially. Racemes 11–15 cm long; perianth orange, tubes 1–1.3 cm long. Follicles about 1.5 cm long, dark brown and ruptured when ripe. Seeds oblong, winged.⁷

LABORATORY ANALYSIS

Grevillol can be detected by GC-MS and NMR.⁸