Professional paper
Poisoning by castor beans
Z. Maretić
; Djelatnost za zarazne bolesti Medicinskog centra u Puli, Pula
Abstract
Ricin, a phytotoxin from the beans of Ricinus comrnunis, belongs to the strongest plant toxins, its toxicity being similar to the toxin of diphtheria or to the cobra venom. In this country castor-oil plant is grown as a decorative plant. Seven adults who took castor beans as laxatives and seven children attracted by their good taste were poisoned and treated in hospital or in outpatient clinic. The symptoms of poisoning appeared a few hours after ingestion as profuse vomiting and watery diarrhoea sometimes leading to de-hydration. Arterial blood pressure dropped, leucocytosis with neutrophilia and cosinolymphopenia appeared, occasionally associated with a slight increase of blood glucose and ECG changes with a lowering of final complexes. In one case the ECG changes developed further and persisted for more than one month, and in another for eight days. The medical treatment was symptomatic. So far poisonings by plant toxins including ricin have not been receiving proper attention, although they may present an important problem to public health. The most efficient means of prevention is health education, as shown by the author's own experience.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
159907
URI
Publication date:
14.11.1980.
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