But I don't believe it is worth knowing that a minute amount is there - if it even is. Do you believe it's worth knowing that all bottles of malt whisky contain methanol? No, because the levels are so minute that they cannot do you any harm. There is no mention of any poisoning anywhere from Ilex aquifolium other than caused by the saponins in the berries eaten by children. In fact, I can find no published data about cyanogenic glycosides (saponins are triterpene glycosides) and there are no warnings published anywhere that I can find about toxins in the wood of holly. My conclusion is that there is absolutely nothing to worry about!
Perhaps the best resource, though there are others:
Forgive me please, plant usage, and consequential toxicity or non-toxicity, is a passion of mine. I get frustrated when things are labelled as poisonous or dangerous when really there are only harmless levels of trace toxins.
Perhaps the best resource, though there are others:
Ilex aquifolium L. (PIM 272)
inchem.org
Forgive me please, plant usage, and consequential toxicity or non-toxicity, is a passion of mine. I get frustrated when things are labelled as poisonous or dangerous when really there are only harmless levels of trace toxins.