Respiratory failure in a neonate after folk treatment with broom bush (Retama raetam) extract.
OBJECTIVE
To increase the awareness of intoxication by folk herbal remedies in the pediatric population.


METHODS
Case report of a 7-day-old baby boy admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit in a university-affiliated hospital.


RESULTS
The patient presented with respiratory failure and central nervous system depression. Specific questioning of the parents revealed consumption of folk herbal remedy by the neonate. Mechanical ventilation was used for 24 hours until normal activity level resumed.


CONCLUSIONS
The possibility of intoxication in a neonate should not be overlooked. Folk herbal remedies, especially if taken in larger than recommended amounts, may be hazardous. Accessible herbal and folk medicine data bank will contribute to a better treatment of patients having side effects of these remedies.
Department of Pediatrics, Shaare-Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. tal_schmid@hotmail.com
Tal
T
Schmid
Dan
D
Turner
Menachem
M
Oberbaum
Yoram
Y
Finkelstein
Roman
R
Bass
David
D
Kleid
D039761:Genista; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007565:Jaundice / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced*
D010936:Plant Extracts