An extremely hardy pioneer plant, it is tolerant of drought and poor soil, often being the only cover on new road cuttings or verges.

Four quaternary isoquinoline alkaloids, dehydrocorydalmine, jatrorrhizine, columbamine, and oxyberberine, have been isolated from the whole plant of Argemone mexicana.

Several significant instances of katkar poisoning have been reported in India, Fiji, South Africa and other countries.

Ingestion of them can cause perianal itching, pneumonia myocarditis and congestive cardiac failure, ascites, sarcoid-like skin changes, alopecia, hepatomegaly[8] The Seri of Sonora, Mexico use the entire plant both fresh and dried.

[citation needed] In South Africa, A. mexicana is classified as a category 1b invader in the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act.