On October 2, at a church in Jeungpyeong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, nine residents mistakenly ate ginseng-like plant roots for ginseng and showed symptoms such as vomiting, and the three with severe symptoms were transferred to two general hospitals in Cheongju in 119 ambulances. The remaining six moved in their own cars, received hospital treatment, and all were discharged.
These people cut off the large roots collected from the ginseng field near the church and shared them a little.
▲ Poisonous U.S. Dragonfly Roots / Photo: Chungbuk Fire Department
The Poisonous American Legate
The current Korean name, Jari Gong, is based on the Joseon Botanical Hyangmyeongjip (Jeong Tae-hyeon and three others, 1937). Although the exact origin of the name of Jari Gong is not known yet, it is assumed that Jari Gong was used in pure Korean for a long time, given that Jari Gong Bulhwi was used as Jari Gong in the name of Jari Gong.
American constellation
Dicotyledonous central tree tracula and perennial grass in the tracula
Scientific name Phytolacca Americana L.
There are three types of jari-gong, which is more known as poison grass, in Korea: jari-gong, island jari-gong, and American jari-gong, which we can see the most, and since ancient times, jari-gong’s sprout has been used as a delicious vegetable, called Jangnok or Jangnoknamul.
Types of self-sustaining jari-gong in Korea
Dicotyledonous central tree tracula and perennial grass in the tracula
The genus name Phytolacca is a compound word of the Greek word phyton + lacca (the name of the deep red pigment used in the Middle Ages) derived from the appearance of deep red in the fruit. The species name acinosa means ’round like a grape’.
The species name insularis of the island zodiac sign means ‘native on the island’, and the species name Americana of the American zodiac sign means ‘of America’.
Seomjari-gong is a special plant of Ulleungdo Island and is a legally protected plant because it is in danger of disappearing due to its extremely limited habitat.
Root Efficacy and Toxicity of Ligarpus
In oriental medicine, the roots of the zarigong are called landfall, Changryuk, and Dangryuk, and the roots of the American zarigong are called U.S. land, and they are collected in autumn, winter, and spring, washed, cut horizontally or in length, and dried in the sun or shade. It is used by cutting it into small pieces, and sometimes it is used by dipping it in vinegar and stir-frying it.
The roots of the gari are excellent in diuretic effects and are used for diseases such as kidney inflammation, edema, and edema, which are kidney-related diseases.
It also has the effect of making the boil go away. It is used as a medicine to treat symptoms such as difficulty in urinating, blisters on the skin (seedema), symptoms of full stomach due to liquid or gas filling in the abdomen, angularity, sore throat, and malignant abscess.
It is known to show therapeutic effects on cornea, sore throat, and abscess when the whole body is swollen or full of ascites due to pyelonephritis or pleurisy, but the general public should never use it.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety designates Zari Gong’s outposts as edible agricultural and forestry products and prohibits sales because its roots and fruits are highly toxic and soluble in water, which can cause acute gastrointestinal diseases such as abdominal pain and vomiting.
Almost every year, you have to be really careful because there are accidents caused by poisoning after confusing the roots of Jari-gong with bellflower roots, which are herbs, and eating them.
In general, fever occurs within 30 minutes to 3 hours after taking the root of the zari ball, heart rate increases, respiratory rate increases, nausea (feeling uncomfortable and vomiting due to food), abdominal pain, and diarrhea. In severe cases, central nerves are paralyzed, breathing exercises are impaired, blood pressure drops, and heart attacks die.