Perilla frutescens

Perilla frutescens is toxic to horses. The reported severity is moderate. Also known as Beefsteak Plant and Shiso.

horses

Mild Moderate Severe Critical

If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian now, or one of these services.

What do I do right now?

Australia
Animal Poisons Helpline 1300 869 738 24 hours, every day · From $75
Austria
Vergiftungsinformationszentrale 01 406 43 43 24 hours, every day
Belgium
Centre Antipoisons 070 245 245 08:00 to 22:00 on weekdays, 10:00 to 22:00 at weekends · Human calls come first. The centre has no funding for animal work.
Canada
Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 24 hours, every day · $89 for each incident
France
Centre National d'Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires 04 78 87 10 40 08:30 to midnight, every day
Germany
Giftinformationszentrum Bonn 0228 19240 24 hours, every day · Germany has no dedicated animal service. Human calls come first, so an animal call can wait.
Ireland
Ireland has no animal poison service for owners. Call your veterinarian. An Irish veterinarian can consult the Veterinary Poisons Information Service in the United Kingdom.
Italy
Centro Antiveleni di Milano 02 6610 1029 24 hours, every day
Netherlands
Nationaal Vergiftigingen Informatie Centrum 088 755 8000 Veterinarians only 24 hours, every day · Call your veterinarian. Your veterinarian calls this line.
New Zealand
Animal Poisons Helpline 0800 869 738 24 hours, every day
Sweden
Giftinformationscentralen stopped answering questions about animals on 1 July 2018. Call your veterinarian or an animal hospital.
Switzerland
Tox Info Suisse 145 24 hours, every day · From outside Switzerland, call +41 44 251 51 51.
United Kingdom
Animal PoisonLine 01202 509 000 24 hours, every day · £35 from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday, £45 at other times
Veterinary Poisons Information Service 020 7305 5055 Veterinarians only 24 hours, every day · A members only service. Your veterinarian calls this line.
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 24 hours, every day · A consultation fee applies
Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 24 hours, every day · $89 for each incident

Symptoms to watch for

Difficulty Breathing Oral Irritation

The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.

About

Perilla frutescens, known as zisu in China, as Silam in Nepal, as deulkkae or Korean perilla in Korea, and as egoma in Japan, is a species of Perilla in the mint family Lamiaceae. It is an annual plant native to Southeast Asia and Indian highlands, and is traditionally grown in the Korean peninsula, southern China, Vietnam, Japan and India as a crop. A variety of this plant, P. frutescens var. crispa known as "shiso", is widely grown in Japan.

How this plant poisons

Although perilla is widely cultivated as an edible plant for humans, it is toxic to cattle and other ruminants, as well as horses. In grazing cattle, plant ketones cause acute respiratory distress syndrome, also called "panting disease". Contact dermatitis may occur in people handling the leaves or oil. Consumption of large amounts of seeds has resulted in anaphylaxis.