Plant poisonings from herbal medication admitted to a Tunisian toxicologic intensive care unit, 1983-1998.
To collect data on Tunisian herbal toxicity we analysed 56 medical records of patients admitted to the toxicological intensive care unit from 1983 to 1998 following the ingestion of plants. The sex ratio of patients was 1:2, the mean age of patients was 26y (2 to 75y) and II species of plants were involved with Atractylis gummifera (32%), Datura stramonium (25%), Ricinus communis (9%), Nerium oleander (7%) and Peganum harmala (7%) most commonly infested. Poisonings involved neurological (91%), gastrointestinal (73%) and cardiovascular systems (18%). Treatment was mainly symptomatic. The only lethal cases of liver failure involved 16 Atractylis gummifera poisonings.
Hamouda
C
C
Department of Intensive Care and Clinical Toxicology, Centre d'Assistance Médical Urgente et de Réanimation, Tunis, Tunisia.
Amamou
M
M
Thabet
H
H
Yacoub
M
M
Hedhili
A
A
Bescharnia
F
F
Ben Salah
N
N
Zhioua
M
M
Abdelmoumen
S
S
El Mekki Ben Brahim
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D010947:Plants, Toxic / Q000633:toxicity*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016482:Urinalysis
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004573:Electrolytes; D003404:Creatinine