All helleborus plants are toxic, and all parts of the helleborus plant are toxic. Hellebore poisoning is rare, but it does occur. Hellebore plants are usually left alone by animals such as deer and rabbits because the leaves of the plant produce various toxins, making them distasteful to animals. The leaves have been known to sometimes bother gardeners with sensitive skin. It was used in the First Sacred War at the start of the sixth century BC to poison the water supply of the city of Kirrha. Poisonings occur through ingestion or handling. Hellebore plants should not be ingested as poisoning cases are most severe when the plants are eaten. This is especially true when hellebores are eaten in large quantities. Symptoms of ingestion include: burning of the mouth and throat, salivation, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nervous symptoms, and possibly depression. Consuming large quantities of hellebore plants can be fatal. Toxic steroids occur in the roots. High levels of ranunculin and protoanemonin, especially in the leaves and sap, also contribute to symptoms after ingestion. Dermatitis may also occur from handling the hellebore plants without protection. This is caused by the ranunculin and protoanemonin found within the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, and sap. When collecting seeds from hellebore plants, it is recommended to wait for the pods to dry and shake them out into a container or onto the ground to collect. Attempts to remove the seeds by hand could potentially cause chemical burns. Small or minimal exposure to the toxins should only cause a mild irritation to the skin, and the affliction should only last for a few minutes.