Levantamento e classificação da toxicidade das plantas ornamentais presentes nos parques urbanos de Recife - Pernambuco

Abstract

The presence of green areas in urban centers is essential for the well-being of the population, but many ornamental plants can be toxic. The toxic agents of plants are linked to their secondary metabolism such as oxalates, saponins, alkaloids, glycosides and terpenes. Although the number of cases of plant poisoning is small, children are the most expected. The objective of this study was to carry out a survey of toxic ornamental plants present in 07 urban parks in Recife, capital of Pernambuco, and classify them according to their degree of toxicity. For this, instruments were used to collect information and record images, taxonomic identification, classification of the degree of toxicity, description of the part of the plant related to poisoning and prevalent toxic metabolites. In the parks, 29 species of toxic ornamental plants were identified, belonging to 12 botanical families, of which species from the families Apocynaceae, Araceae and Euphorbiaceae totaled 52%. The species Mangifera indica, Sansevieria trifasciata, Plumeria rubra and Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum were the most common, while the plants with the highest degree of toxicity found in the parks were Duranta erecta, Lantana camara, Nerium oleander and Thevetia peruviana. In all the evaluated parks, toxic plants were found near the recreation and food areas, most of the time unidentified, and with free access to the population and animals. Thus, it is necessary that the choice of species used consider their toxic potential, that more studies are careful and that educational activities are implemented for population knowledge and the adoption of preventive measures for accidents.