Brunfelsia species
Solanaceae
Brunfelsia; Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow; Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow; Morning-Noon-and-Night; Kiss-Me-Quick; Lady-of-the-Night; Franciscan Rain Tree; Fransiscan Rain Tree; Brunfelsia spp.
Brunfelsamidine and hopeanine; possibly other Brunfelsia alkaloids or Solanaceae-type alkaloids that affect neurotransmission. All parts of the plant should be considered toxic, with berries, seed pods, and seeds generally considered especially dangerous.
Vomiting, diarrhea, gastrointestinal upset, salivation, drooling, coughing, sneezing, retching, gagging, anxious behavior, agitation, vocalization, facial twitching, tremors, trembling, muscle rigidity, ataxia, staggering, proprioceptive deficits, incoordination, inability to right itself, lethargy, depression, severe disorientation, dilated pupils, rapid breathing, tachypnea, hypothermia or hyperthermia, seizures, tonic-clonic convulsions, prolonged neurologic signs lasting several days, weakness, collapse, paralysis, respiratory compromise, coma, and death in severe cases.
Brunfelsia is a genus of flowering shrubs in the family Solanaceae and includes plants commonly known as Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow; Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow; Morning-Noon-and-Night; Kiss-Me-Quick; Lady-of-the-Night; and Franciscan Rain Tree. This genus falls into the same broader plant family as several famously toxic plants, including Deadly Nightshade, Mandrake, and Jimsonweed, as well as better-known food plants such as potato, tomato, and eggplant. As with many members of Solanaceae, the fact that the plant is ornamental and attractive should not be confused with safety.
Brunfelsia can typically be found in lightly wooded areas, thickets, warm-climate gardens, and as an ornamental shrub around the home. The leaves are simple and alternate, with shapes generally elliptic to ovate. The flowers are large and tubular, with five broad petals, and many ornamental Brunfelsia plants are prized because the flowers change color as they age, often passing from purple or violet to lavender and then to white. That dramatic color change is the source of the common name Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.
Toxicologic studies performed with members of this genus have demonstrated that all parts of the plant are toxic, but not equally so. The leaves, flowers, and stems appear to be less toxic, whereas the berries, seed pods, and seeds are generally considered the most dangerous portions. ASPCA lists Brunfelsia species as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, identifies brunfelsamidine as the toxic principle, and lists clinical signs including tremors, seizures, diarrhea, vomiting, hypersalivation, lethargy, incoordination, and coughing. Pet Poison Helpline similarly describes Brunfelsia as containing two toxins found throughout the plant: brunfelsamidine, a stimulant, and hopeanine, a depressant.
Poisonings related to Brunfelsia are still relatively uncommon when compared with more frequently encountered household plant exposures, but when they do occur, they can be serious. This is not merely a plant that causes mild stomach upset. Brunfelsia poisoning may begin with vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, coughing, sneezing, retching, or agitation, and may then progress to tremors, severe disorientation, ataxia, muscular rigidity, tonic-clonic seizures, prolonged neurologic disturbance, collapse, respiratory compromise, and death.
The best early documentation regarding Brunfelsia-related intoxication comes from A Toxicological Investigation of the Garden Shrub Brunfelsia calcyina var. floribunda (Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow) in Three Species, by Charles B. Spainhour, Jr., Robert A. Fiske, Wayne Flory, and John C. Reagor. That report described a severe case involving an 11-week-old Schipperke puppy:
“In January 1989, a case of acute death of an 11-wk-old intact female Schipperkee was submitted to the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. The local veterinarian reported that the client presented the dog to him with a complaint of an acute onset of anxiety, persistent sneezing, vomiting, moderate to severe whole body muscle tremors, and pyrexia (40.7 C). The physical status of the animal progressively worsened over a 2-hr period, culminating in a state of severe disorientation, staggering, ataxia, proprioceptive deficits, an inability to right itself, and seizures. The vomitus and loose stool contained numerous small dark brown seeds and intact medium green spherical, firm seed pods.”
That same report noted that very few canine intoxications had been reported in the literature at that time and summarized earlier Australian cases involving Brunfelsia australis, formerly known as Brunfelsia bonodora:
“In the Australian reports, one dog showed clinical signs of gastric and buccal irritation, nystagmus, salivation, vomition, nervous irritation, extensor rigidity, and opisthotonous, but recovered with treatment in 2 days. Another dog died within 10 hours after ingestion of berries after exhibiting vomition, dementia, and severe hematuria. An experimental dog fed 5.4 g/kg of body weight of minced Brunfelsia showed depression, antisocial behavior, vomition, diarrhea, reluctance to stand, decreased motor activity, generalized fine muscle tremors, polyuria, involuntary rhythmic limb extension, convulsions, and opisthotonous. The animal was euthanized at 40 hours post dosing. Gross necropsy revealed only edema and hyperemia of the terminal ileum. Histopathologic findings were not specific.”
Another documented U.S. case involved a 6-year-old female Siberian Husky presented to a veterinarian with salivation, coughing, gagging, dilated pupils, muscular contractions, horizontal involuntary eye movement, and clonic-tonic convulsions, formerly called grand mal seizures, after eating Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow, Brunfelsia pauciflora, seeds. The dog was provided symptomatic and supportive care that included activated charcoal, intravenous fluids, anticonvulsants, corticosteroids, and topical ophthalmic ointment. On the fifth day, the convulsions stopped, and by the three-week mark the dog had completely recovered.
The toxins in Brunfelsia preparations have not been completely characterized. However, the biodynamic compounds of Brunfelsia species may include alkaloids or alkaloid-like compounds capable of producing severe neurologic disturbance. Laboratory testing on Brunfelsia species has identified a wide range of chemicals in varying concentrations throughout the plant, including aesculetin, alpha-ionone, alpha-terpineol, benzylbenzoate, benzylsalicylate, beta-bisabolene, beta-cyclocitralbrunfelsene, beta-damascenone, beta-eudesmol, beta-safranal, brunfelsene, brunfelsamidine, elemol, 2-ethylfuran, farnesol, geraniol, hopeanine, ionones, isobutylsalicylate, lavandulal, limonene, linalool, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, manaceine, manacine, mandragorine, methylfurans, methylanisoles, myrcene, myristic acid, nerolidol, neophytadiene, ocimene, palmitic acid, pinoresinols, salicylic acid esters, scopoletin, scopolin, and terpinolene.
Of these, the exact toxic principle responsible for severe and potentially fatal toxicosis has not been completely settled, but brunfelsamidine and hopeanine are the compounds most commonly discussed in modern companion-animal poisoning references. The effect of Brunfelsia poisoning appears to involve interference with neurotransmission in a way that can resemble strychnine-like neurotoxicosis. In studies involving rats and mice, both hopeanine and brunfelsamidine produced neurotoxicosis similar to the signs seen in pets after ingestion of Brunfelsia. Hopeanine caused decreased activity, paralysis, seizures, and hypersensitivity, whereas brunfelsamidine produced excitement, tonic-clonic seizures, and death.
Based on those studies and modern poison-control summaries, brunfelsamidine is likely one of the major toxins responsible for the dramatic neurotoxicosis seen in affected animals, particularly the excitement, tremors, seizures, and potential death. Hopeanine may contribute a depressant or paralytic component. This combination helps explain why animals may show both agitation and depression, both stimulation and collapse, and why signs can progress rapidly from gastrointestinal upset to severe neurologic disturbance.
The practical point for pet owners is simple: Brunfelsia should be treated as a serious toxic ornamental. Dogs are especially at risk because they may chew berries, seed pods, mulch, or fallen plant material around the shrub. Any young, curious, or plant-chewing dog with sudden vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, coughing, sneezing, tremors, disorientation, ataxia, or seizures after access to Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow should be treated as a poisoning emergency.
Immediate Response to Brunfelsia Ingestion
- Remove the Source: Prevent further ingestion by removing the pet from the Brunfelsia shrub, berries, seed pods, seeds, flowers, leaves, mulch, clippings, or any area where fallen plant material may be present.
- Identify the Exposure: Determine whether the animal ate berries, seed pods, seeds, leaves, flowers, stems, mulch contaminated with plant material, or an unknown amount. Berries, seed pods, and seeds are generally the most concerning.
- Remove Plant Material from the Mouth: If ingestion was recent and it is safe to do so, remove visible plant material, berries, pods, or seeds from the mouth and flush the mouth thoroughly with water.
- Do Not Wait for Severe Signs: Brunfelsia poisoning can progress rapidly from vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, coughing, sneezing, or anxiety to tremors, severe disorientation, ataxia, inability to right itself, and seizures.
- Watch for Neurologic Signs: Trembling, facial twitching, muscle rigidity, staggering, proprioceptive deficits, abnormal behavior, vocalization, agitation, depression, tremors, or any seizure activity should be treated as urgent.
- Contact Veterinary Help Immediately: Contact a veterinarian, emergency veterinary clinic, ASPCA Animal Poison Control, or Pet Poison Helpline immediately if Brunfelsia ingestion is suspected, especially if berries or seeds were eaten, if symptoms are present, or if the exposed animal is a dog, cat, horse, puppy, kitten, elderly animal, pregnant animal, or medically fragile animal.
Inducing Vomiting and Decontamination
- Control Seizures First if Present: If the animal is already showing central nervous system disturbance, tremors, severe disorientation, collapse, or clonic-tonic convulsions, those signs should be controlled and the animal stabilized before attempting decontamination through emesis or oral charcoal.
- Getting Plant Material Out Matters: If a dog has recently swallowed Brunfelsia berries, seed pods, seeds, or plant material and no clinical signs are evident, removing remaining plant material from the stomach may reduce continued exposure to brunfelsamidine, hopeanine, and related toxins.
- Inducing Vomiting in Dogs Only: In cases of recent ingestion where no other clinical signs are evident and the dog is alert, breathing normally, able to swallow, and not showing tremors, seizures, severe depression, collapse, repeated vomiting, respiratory distress, or neurologic signs, a veterinarian or animal poison-control professional may recommend inducing vomiting with fresh 3% hydrogen peroxide.
- Apomorphine: A veterinarian may induce emesis in dogs using apomorphine when clinically appropriate, especially in a controlled setting where the patient can be monitored.
- Cat Warning: Hydrogen peroxide should not be used to induce vomiting in cats unless a veterinarian specifically directs it. Cats are more prone to irritation and complications from hydrogen peroxide, and home vomiting attempts may create more risk than benefit.
- Do Not Induce Vomiting in an Unstable Animal: Vomiting should not be attempted in any animal that is weak, collapsed, sedated, having trouble breathing, unable to swallow normally, already vomiting repeatedly, tremoring, seizing, severely disoriented, or otherwise unstable.
- Activated Charcoal: After the animal has vomited, activated charcoal may be administered under veterinary or poison-control direction. It may be mixed with a cathartic such as sorbitol, sodium sulfate, or magnesium sulfate when appropriate.
- Cathartic Warning: If the animal is already presenting with diarrhea, then use of a cathartic is not recommended because it may worsen fluid loss and dehydration.
- Repeated Charcoal: Charcoal administration may be repeated every 6 to 8 hours in cases where a moderate amount of fruit or seeds may have been ingested, but repeated dosing should be performed under veterinary supervision.
- Gastric Lavage: If a large amount of plant material was ingested, gastric lavage followed by activated charcoal may be a wiser protocol than relying on home decontamination.
Seizure Control and Emergency Stabilization
- Primary Treatment Goal: The main objective in serious Brunfelsia poisoning is to control central nervous system disturbance, especially tremors, rigidity, and seizures, before providing broader supportive care.
- Anticonvulsants: Seizures may require intravenous anticonvulsant therapy. Sodium pentobarbital, diazepam, methocarbamol, phenobarbital, propofol, or other veterinary-directed medications may be used depending on the patient’s condition and response.
- Diazepam: Diazepam may prove useful in some cases, although effectiveness may vary depending on severity and toxin load.
- Methocarbamol: Methocarbamol may be useful for severe tremors or muscle rigidity under veterinary supervision.
- Gas Anesthesia: If seizures or severe neurologic excitation cannot be controlled with standard medications, anesthesia with isoflurane gas or other intensive-care measures may be necessary.
- Airway and Breathing: In severe cases, the affected animal may require intubation, oxygen therapy, assisted ventilation, or artificial respiration.
Supportive Care and Monitoring
- Quiet Recovery Area: During recovery, animals should be kept in a quiet, dark place free of stress, stimulation, loud noise, bright light, and unnecessary handling.
- Temperature Monitoring: The animal should be regularly monitored for changes in body temperature, either up or down, because both hypothermia and hyperthermia may occur. Warming or cooling measures may be needed depending on the patient’s condition.
- Fluids and Electrolytes: Intravenous fluids may be necessary to keep the pet hydrated, maintain electrolyte balance, support circulation, and compensate for vomiting, diarrhea, or prolonged seizures.
- Ongoing Neurologic Monitoring: Animals should be monitored for recurring tremors, seizures, disorientation, inability to stand, proprioceptive deficits, and abnormal behavior for several days if needed.
- Respiratory Monitoring: Rapid breathing, shallow breathing, respiratory fatigue, aspiration risk, or depression after seizures should be treated as serious and may require oxygen or assisted ventilation.
Prognosis and Recovery
- Rare but Serious: Poisonings involving Brunfelsia species are rare, but they have the potential for serious complications, especially when berries, seed pods, or seeds are consumed.
- Prompt Treatment: Prognosis is much better when ingestion is witnessed, the animal is treated before neurologic signs develop, and decontamination can be performed safely.
- Delayed Recognition: Many serious cases are not recognized until vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, ataxia, or seizures have already developed, at which point seizure control and stabilization become the priority.
- Recovery Time: A complete recovery, if one occurs, may take days or weeks, particularly when seizures, prolonged neurologic signs, or intensive supportive care are involved.
- Prevention: Prevent further ingestion of the plant and remove Brunfelsia shrubs, berries, seed pods, fallen fruit, and contaminated mulch from areas accessible to pets.