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Article: Blowpipe dart poison in Borneo and the secret of its production: the latex of Antiaris toxicaria; the poison-making procedure; the heat-sensitive main toxic chemical compound, and the lethal effect of the poison.
- Article from:
- Borneo Research Bulletin
- Article date:
- January 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Borneo Research Council, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Blowpipe dart poison in Borneo is generally produced from the latex of the Antiaris toxicaria tree (Moraceae). This latex contains a variety of toxic chemical compounds. The principal toxic agent is a steroid glycoside known as [beta]-Antiarin. A lethal dose (L50) is only about 0.1 mg. per kg. weight of a warm-blooded animal. To dehydrate the milky latex into a paste, a long, carefully implemented procedure is essential because the steroid glycoside compound is extremely heat-sensitive. Therefore, hunters perform the dehydration of the latex by using a young leaf from the small Licuala spinosa palm. The leaf is folded into a boat-shaped container to hold the latex at a ...
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Article: Ipoh proud of its past
New Straits Times;
December 26, 2003 ;
631 words
... ... Wahab, which was officially opened to the public in 1992. Ipoh was named after the "epu" or "upas" tree (Antiaris toxicaria) both of which used to be found in abundance around Ipoh. The tree belongs to the nettle family and is a colossus ...
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