ORIENTAL LACQUER .11. BOTANY AND CHEMISTRY OF THE ACTIVE COMPONENTS OF POISONOUS ANACARDIACEAE

Some aspects of the botany of the family Anacardiaceae are discussed w ith special emphasis on the poisonous genera and species. The focus is on the well-known members of the genus Toxicodendrons, i.e., the lacq uer tree, poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak. These genera have as their toxic, dermatitis-causing ingredients catechols with C-15 and C-17 aliphatic side chains of various degrees of unsaturation and a v ariety of compositions of the individual components. Saps with a catec hols mixture of a high triene content are used as lacquer for highly d esired objects of art and daily use with great beauty and considerable value. Some other members of the Anacardiaceae family which grow in S outh East Asia have active catechol and phenol components with slightl y different chemical side chain structure.