1/24. datura stramonium poisonings in humans.datura stramonium is a hallucinogenic plant which causes serious poisoning. Clinical symptoms are those of atropinic intoxication with psychiatric manifestations of dryness of mouth, mydriasis, tachycardia and hallucinations. diagnosis is essentially clinical. Treatment is symptomatic and suppurative; prognosis is usually favorable.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/24. Rare jatropha multifida intoxication in two children.Two children were admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) after ingesting a large amount of fruit of a plant identified as jatropha multifida. They were mildly obtunded, had intractable vomiting, and seemed dehydrated. Intravenous fluid replacement and urine alkalinization were initiated. After stabilization, their 5-day hospital stays were uneventful except for a subclinical rise of liver enzymes. jatropha species contain the toxalbumin ricin, which causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration, shock, and renal and hepatic impairment. ricin also has cardiotoxic and hemolytic effects and several deaths have been documented. Children are attracted by the shape and the color of the jatropha fruits. mortality can be prevented by immediate fluid and electrolyte replacement.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/24. Cardiovascular glycoside-like intoxication following ingestion of thevetia nereifolia/peruviana seeds: a case report.Some plants contain glycoside compounds which determine cardiovascular symptoms similar to those observed after acute toxic digoxin administration. The present case report involves a patient who showed important cardiovascular symptoms following the ingestion of thevetia nereifolia/peruviana seeds. About 30 min after ingestion, a 65-year-old man presented with dizziness, giddiness, numbness and a burning sensation, diarrhea, sweating, vomiting and ECG changes. At the time of admission he presented with tremors; his body temperature was 37 degrees C, and blood analysis gave the following results: K 5.6 mEq/l, myoglobin 176 IU, troponin t 0.10 ng/ml, PO2 69 mmHg, PCO2 37.4 mmHg, pH 7.33, HCO3- 19.9 mEq/l, hemoglobin 14.8 g/dl, saturation 92.5%. echocardiography showed a left ventricle with normal global and segmentary contractility. The following days, the patient showed a reduction, until total resolution, of the atrioventricular block and of the alterations of the ST segment. The ectopic beats also resolved; K value before discharge was 4.4 mEq/l. On the third day, the serum levels of digoxin were 0.15 ng/ml. This case report is important because it describes all the cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular signs of glycoside toxicity in an adult patient who accidentally swallowed only two seeds (non-fatal dose) of thevetia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/24. pica and the elephant's ear.This is a case report of an otherwise healthy 2-year-old boy with a history of pica, associated with iron deficiency anemia. This boy was referred to our department for a neurologic evaluation because of an acute episode of sialorrhea, difficulty in speaking, dysphagia, and repeated swallowing movements. An uncertain episode of a brief-duration still gaze was also reported. In addition, the history revealed that the child had earlier ingested a leaf from a poisonous houseplant called colocasia esculenta, also known as "elephant's ear." The habit of pica subsided after treatment with iron supplements. A 9-month follow-up period was uneventful. neurologic manifestations can accompany accidental intoxications of some non-nutrient substances. Thus, pica must be suspected in children with acute behavior alterations.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/24. Intoxication with foothill camas (zigadenus paniculatus).Eight adults ingested foothill camas (zigadenus paniculatus) bulbs in Juab County, utah, believing them to be nontoxic wild bulbs. All who ingested the bulbs became ill, and three of them required admission for supportive care. All patients had nausea; other findings included vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, near syncope, hypotension, and bradycardia. No specific antidote is available for intoxication with zigadenus species. Supportive care is indicated and atropine may benefit those with sympytomatic bradycardia and hypotension.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/24. Star fruit intoxication in uraemic patients: case series and review of the literature.Star fruit, belonging to the Oxalidaceae family, species Averrhoa carambola, is a popular fruit among Orientals. There have been reports of hiccup, confusion, and occasional fatal outcomes in uraemic patients after ingestion of star fruit. An excitatory neurotoxin from star fruit has been implicated although the exact nature of this toxic substance has not been identified. A group of seven patients is described from the dialysis centres at Queen Mary and Tung Wah hospitals who developed symptoms including hiccup, confusion, vomiting, impaired consciousness, muscle twitching and hyperkalaemia shortly after ingestion of star fruit. Symptoms of most patients resolved after intensified dialysis or spontaneously, and no mortality was observed. The close temporal relationship of ingestion of star fruit and onset of symptoms strongly suggests the existence of a causal relationship between the two. It is recommended that uraemic patients should totally abstain from star fruit due to these rare but potentially fatal complications. The clinical manifestations of other reported series and current evidence for the possible candidate(s) of the neurotoxin are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/24. Sudden unexpected death due to taxus poisoning. A report of five cases, with review of the literature.The toxicity of yew (taxus) has been known since antiquity. However, in the past 31 years, to our knowledge only six cases of taxus poisoning have been reported in the literature. In the present paper we add five cases. From a forensic point of view, intoxication with taxus has three important aspects: (i) the clinical presentation, which among other causes should suggest taxus intoxication; (ii) the fact that the diagnosis may often be easily made by examination of the contents of stomach, duodenum and small bowel and (iii) the widespread availability in the near future of Taxol, an anti-neoplastic drug which is an alkaloid extracted from taxus. The clinical and autopsy findings are summarized, the diagnostic aspects are discussed and the literature concerning taxus is reviewed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/24. A rare ingestion of the Black Locust tree.BACKGROUND: The Black Locust (robinia Pseudoacacia) tree contain toxalbumins, robin and phasin, that exert their toxic effects by inhibition of protein synthesis. Despite the potential dangers of Black Locust intoxication, reports of human toxicity after ingestion are rare. We report the first human intoxication of Black Locust bark in north america in over one hundred years. CASE REPORT: An eight-year-old male was brought to the emergency department 6 hours after chewing and expelling the Black Locust bark. He presented with emesis, which began approximately 2.5 hours after exposure. His vital signs were as follows: oral temperature, 97.5 degrees F; blood pressure, 128/75 mmHg; heart rate, 114 beats per minute; respiratory rate, 15 breaths per minute. Initial treatment included 4 mg i.v. ondansetron, which resolved the vomiting, one dose of activated charcoal, and intravenous fluids. He was then admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for observation of signs of toxicity. Laboratory findings were unremarkable except for a white blood cell of 18.4 K/uL and an elevated alkaline phosphatase of 183 U/L. The patient remained asymptomatic throughout his stay in the ICU and was discharged on the fifth day of admission with a normal white blood cell of 4.1 K/uL and an alkaline phosphatase of 251 U/L. CONCLUSION: patients with clinical toxicity following the ingestion of Black Locust are expected to do well with supportive care and observation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/24. Antimuscarinic intoxication resulting from the ingestion of moonflower seeds.OBJECTIVE: To report a case in which ingestion of moonflower seeds resulted in antimuscarinic intoxication. CASE SUMMARY: An 18-year-old man was found at a local convenience store hallucinating and incoherent. Upon presentation to the emergency department, his signs and symptoms included tachycardia, confusion, dilated pupils, and dry, flushed, hot skin. He was admitted to the intensive care unit. hallucinations and symptoms resolved within 36-48 hours after hospitalization. The patient then reported that he had ingested moonflower seeds. He recovered and was released 4 days after admission. DISCUSSION: Based on the patient's description and clinical presentation, the moonflower seeds were believed to be Datura inoxia. This species of plant is similar to jimson weed, or datura stramonium. These plants are known to contain high concentrations of anticholinergic substances; ingestion can result in anticholinergic intoxication. signs and symptoms that commonly occur include hallucinations, tachycardia, dilated pupils, and disorientation. In our patient, use of the Naranjo probability scale indicated a possible relationship between the moonflower seed ingestion and the patient's signs and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Ingestion of the Datura species can result in severe toxicity. Each plant varies in the concentrations of alkaloid substances. For this reason, it is very important for individuals to become educated on the toxicities and potential risks associated with recreational use of these plants.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 6keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/24. Severe methemoglobinemia due to food intoxication in infants.The purpose of this case report is to illustrate food intoxication in infants as a consequence of fennel ingestion. Four cases of methemoglobinemia (MetHb) are presented here. Each patient ate homemade fennel puree a few hours prior to arriving to the emergency department with cyanosis unresponsive to oxygen, in the absence of suspected cyanotic heart disease. All 4 patients received treatment with methylene blue and fully recovered. Our cases emphasize that improper handling and storing of vegetables can lead to life-threatening MetHb.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5keywords = intoxication (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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