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Calcium oxalate

 
Calcium Oxalate

 
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Calcium oxalate
 
 
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Calcium oxalate is a chemical compound that forms needle-shaped crystals. Its chemical formula is CaC2O4 or Ca(COO)2.

e quantities of calcium oxalate are found in the poison
Poison

In the context of biology, poisons are Chemical substance that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ous plant dumb cane (Dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia is a genus of tropical plants in the Family Araceae noted for their patterned leaves. Members of this genus are popular as houseplants because of their tolerance to shade....
). It is also found in rhubarb
Rhubarb

Rheum is a genus of perennial plants that grows from thick short rhizomes. The genus is in the family Polygonaceae, and includes the vegetable rhubarb The plants have large leaf that are somewhat triangular shaped with long fleshy Petiole s....
 leaves, various species of Oxalis
Oxalis

Oxalis is by far the largest genus in the wood-sorrel family Oxalidaceae: of the approximately 900 known species in the Oxalidaceae, 800 belong here....
, Araceae
Araceae

Araceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like hood....
, taro
Taro

Taro , more rarely kalo , gabi in The Philippines and dalo in Fiji is a tropical plant grown primarily as a root vegetable for its edible corm, and secondarily as a leaf vegetable....
, kiwifruit
Kiwifruit

The kiwifruit is the edible berry of a cultivar of the woody plant vine Actinidia deliciosa and Hybrid s between this and other species in the genus Actinidia....
, and agave
Agave

Agave is a succulent plant plant of a large botanical genus of the same name, belonging to the family Agavaceae....
s, and (in lower amounts) in spinach
Spinach

Spinach is a flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant , which grows to a height of up to 30 cm....
. Nonsoluble calcium oxalate crystals are found in plant stems, roots, and leaves. Calcium oxalate also forms a major component of beerstone
Beerstone

Not to be confused with Beer stone, a type of limestone mined in Beer, Devon.Beerstone is a scale of Calcium oxalate that can occur in Storage tank, Keg and other metal components used to Brewing or store beer....
, a brownish precipitate that tends to accumulate within vats, barrels and other containers used in the brewing
Brewing

Brewing is the production of alcoholic beverages and alcohol fuel through fermentation . The term is used for the production of beer, although the word "brewing" is also used to describe the fermentation process used to create wine and mead....
 of beer
Beer

Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and Fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal?the most common of which is malted barley, although wheat, maize , and rice are widely used....
.






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Calcium oxalate is a chemical compound that forms needle-shaped crystals. Its chemical formula is CaC2O4 or Ca(COO)2.

Occurrence

Large quantities of calcium oxalate are found in the poison
Poison

In the context of biology, poisons are Chemical substance that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ous plant dumb cane (Dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia is a genus of tropical plants in the Family Araceae noted for their patterned leaves. Members of this genus are popular as houseplants because of their tolerance to shade....
). It is also found in rhubarb
Rhubarb

Rheum is a genus of perennial plants that grows from thick short rhizomes. The genus is in the family Polygonaceae, and includes the vegetable rhubarb The plants have large leaf that are somewhat triangular shaped with long fleshy Petiole s....
 leaves, various species of Oxalis
Oxalis

Oxalis is by far the largest genus in the wood-sorrel family Oxalidaceae: of the approximately 900 known species in the Oxalidaceae, 800 belong here....
, Araceae
Araceae

Araceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like hood....
, taro
Taro

Taro , more rarely kalo , gabi in The Philippines and dalo in Fiji is a tropical plant grown primarily as a root vegetable for its edible corm, and secondarily as a leaf vegetable....
, kiwifruit
Kiwifruit

The kiwifruit is the edible berry of a cultivar of the woody plant vine Actinidia deliciosa and Hybrid s between this and other species in the genus Actinidia....
, and agave
Agave

Agave is a succulent plant plant of a large botanical genus of the same name, belonging to the family Agavaceae....
s, and (in lower amounts) in spinach
Spinach

Spinach is a flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant , which grows to a height of up to 30 cm....
. Nonsoluble calcium oxalate crystals are found in plant stems, roots, and leaves. Calcium oxalate also forms a major component of beerstone
Beerstone

Not to be confused with Beer stone, a type of limestone mined in Beer, Devon.Beerstone is a scale of Calcium oxalate that can occur in Storage tank, Keg and other metal components used to Brewing or store beer....
, a brownish precipitate that tends to accumulate within vats, barrels and other containers used in the brewing
Brewing

Brewing is the production of alcoholic beverages and alcohol fuel through fermentation . The term is used for the production of beer, although the word "brewing" is also used to describe the fermentation process used to create wine and mead....
 of beer
Beer

Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and Fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal?the most common of which is malted barley, although wheat, maize , and rice are widely used....
. Beerstone is composed of calcium and magnesium salts and various organic compounds left over from the brewing process; it promotes the growth of unwanted microorganisms that can adversely affect or even ruin the flavor of a batch of beer.

Calcium oxalate crystals in the urine are the most common constituent of human kidney stones, and calcium oxalate crystal formation is also one of the toxic effects of ethylene glycol
Ethylene glycol

Ethylene glycol is an alcohol with two -OH groups , a chemical compound widely used as an automobile antifreeze. In its pure form, it is an odorless, colorless, syrupy, sweet tasting, toxic liquid....
 poisoning.

Natural occurrence is connected with three minerals: whewellite
Whewellite

Whewellite is a mineral, hydrated calcium oxalate, formula calciumcarbon2oxygen4·water. Because of its organic content it is thought to have an indirect biological origin and this is supported by it being found in coal and sedimentary Nodule ....
 (monohydrate, known i.e. from some coal beds), weddellite
Weddellite

Weddellite is a mineral form of calcium oxalate named for occurrences of millimeter-sized crystals found in bottom sediments of the Weddell Sea, off Antarctica....
 (dihydrate) and a very rare trihydrate called caoxite.

Effects of ingestion

Even a small dose of calcium oxalate is enough to cause intense sensations of burning in the mouth and throat, swelling, and choking. In larger doses, however, calcium oxalate causes severe digestive upset, breathing difficulties and — if enough is consumed — convulsions, coma and death. Recovery from severe oxalate poisoning is possible, but permanent liver and kidney damage may have occurred.

The stalk of the Dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia is a genus of tropical plants in the Family Araceae noted for their patterned leaves. Members of this genus are popular as houseplants because of their tolerance to shade....
 produces the most severe reactions. These needle-like crystals produce pain and edema when they contact lips, tongue, oral mucosa, conjunctiva, or skin. Edema
Edema

File:Oedema.jpgEdema or Oedema , formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin, or in one or more cavities of the body....
 primarily is due to direct trauma from the needle-like crystals and, to a lesser extent, by other plant toxins (e.g., bradykinin
Bradykinin

Bradykinin is a nonapeptide that causes blood vessels to enlarge , and therefore causes blood pressure to lower. A class of drugs called ACE inhibitors, which are used to lower blood pressure, increase bradykinin further lowering blood pressure....
s, enzymes).

Treatment

Immediately seek advice from a physician. Depending on the plant ingested, mild (Elephant Ear Colocasia esculenta
Colocasia esculenta

Colocasia esculenta is a tropical plant grown primarily for its edible corm, a root vegetable known as Taro. It is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated plants....
) to more severe (Jack in the Pulpit Arisaema
Arisaema

Arisaema is a genus of about 150 species in the flowering plant family Araceae, native to eastern and central Africa, Asia and eastern North America....
) can cause compromised airways. One bite on the Arisaema seed pod will result in immediate swelling and burning. It will take over 12 hours for the swelling to subside. Medication administered at the ER included Benadryl, Epinephrine, Pepcid, all intravenously. Although this most likely will be a localized reaction, it will be treated by the ER as an Anphalactic(oid) reaction.

See also

  • Oxalic acid
    Oxalic acid

    Oxalic acid is the chemical compound with the chemical formula H2C2O4. This dicarboxylic acid is better described with the formula HOOCCOOH....