How Does Yew Tree Toxicity Affect Humans and Animals?
Upon ingestion, taxines can cause a range of symptoms due to their effect on the cardiovascular system. They act as calcium and sodium channel blockers, disrupting the normal electrical conduction in the heart and leading to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, and in severe cases, cardiac arrest. In animals, particularly horses and cattle, the consumption of yew can lead to sudden death.
