The Tree of Death: Why Touching the Notorious Manzanito Can Blind or Kill You
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The primary mechanism of injury stems from a complex cocktail of toxic organic compounds, most notably phorbol esters and hippomanin A and B. Phorbol toxins are potent skin irritants that mimic diacylglycerol, a natural intracellular signaling molecule. By activating protein kinase C enzymes, the toxins disrupt cell membrane integrity and initiate acute, runaway inflammation.
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Contact with the milky white sap produces intense erythema followed by bullae, large, fluid-filled blisters that resemble second-degree thermal burns. This reaction is not an allergic response; it is an immediate toxic destruction of epidermal tissue.
Even indirect contact carries severe consequences. Rain droplets dilute the sap and carry it onto anyone sheltering underneath, producing mottled burn patterns across skin and clothing. If the contaminated moisture reaches ocular tissue, it causes severe conjunctivitis, corneal epithelial sloughing, and rapid vision loss that can take weeks of clinical care to reverse.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
