Case Report of Lethal Toxin Lurking in an Edible Plant.

Case Report of Lethal Toxin Lurking in an Edible Plant. J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol. 2019 Oct 22;26(3):e14-e18 Authors: Patel P, Konala VM, Adapa S, Gayam V, Sahasranam P, Bose S, Golez CD, Naramala S Abstract Cyanide is notoriously known to the public for more than a century now as a weapon of mass destruction (Zyklon B gas - hydrogen cyanide used by Nazis), an agent for chemical warfare during World War I (hydrogen cyanide) and very infamous "Suicide Pill" used in the past by military and espionage organizations during World War II (potassium cyanide). During the modern industrial era, cyanide poisoning is commonly associated with the industrial exposure and domestic fires. But there is little awareness about potentially fatal consequences of cyanide poisoning from common food sources. Here, we present the case report of a 79-year-old female with acute cyanide poisoning from improperly prepared cassava leaves. Symptoms from ingested toxin may start a few hours after exposure, which include headache, confusion, ataxia, seizures, palpitations, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, flushing, and itching of the skin. Patients may develop hypotension, cardiac arrhythmias, renal failure, hepatic necrosis, rhabdomyolysis, and metabolic acidosis; a multisystem manifestation of hypoxia at the cellular level. Multiple treatment strategies are available to treat cyanide poisoning, including sodium nitrite, sodium thiosulfate, and hydroxycobalamin...
Source: Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol Source Type: research