Acute poisoning by toxic plants as reported by Villa Clara Toxicology Center, 2008-2011

Revista Cubana de Plantas Medicinales

Morales Espinosa, Juan Ariel¹  Escobar Román, Raylen³  Leiva Acebey, Leonardo¹  Escobar Vázquez, Gilberto Eugenio⁴  Sorí León, Yanicel² 

[1] Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Villa Clara, Cuba;Policlínico Centro, Sancti Spíritus, Cuba;Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Sancti Spíritus, Cuba;Universidad de Ciencias Pedagógicas Félix Varela, Santa Clara, Cuba

关键词: poisoning;    medicinal plants;    toxic plants;    acute toxicity;    toxicology;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：药理学

来源: Editorial Ciencias Medicas

【 摘 要 】

Introduction: accidental or intentional exposure to toxic substances is a frequent cause of poisoning worldwide. Statistical reports show a predominance of poisoning by psycholeptics and pesticides, but poisoning by toxic plants is also frequently treated at emergency services. Objective: characterize the incidence and morbidity of acute poisoning by toxic plants as reported by Villa Clara Toxicology Center (CENTOX-VC) and identify the types of causal plants, place of residence of the poisoned patient and most frequent poisoning type.Methods: an observational retrospective descriptive study was conducted at Villa Clara Clinical Toxicology Center in Cuba during the four years following the founding of the Center (2008-2011). The variables considered were age, municipality and/or province, causal toxic plant, causes of the poisoning episode and manner of exposure.Results: seventy patients were cared for at the emergency service for poisoning by toxic plants (8.22 %). The highest incidence was found in the year 2009 with 47 patients (67.1 %). There was a predominance of the 5-14 age range and the male sex (57.1 %). The most frequent causal agents were walnut tree (Aleurites trilobus J. R. Forst. & G. Forst) (52.9 %), physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) (14.3 %), sandbox tree (Hura crepitans L.) (12.9%) and queen sago (Cycas circinalis L.) (10 %). A predominance was observed of unintentional poisoning (94.3 %) and oral intake (95.8 %). The highest incidence was found in the municipality of Cifuentes with 37 patients (52.8 %).Conclusions: a characterization is provided of poisoning by toxic plants which includes reference to its incidence and morbidity, the groups most frequently affected (children and adolescents and the male sex), and manner of exposure (unintentional by oral intake). These contents will be useful to health professionals managing poisoning episodes. Further studies should be conducted and dissemination activities performed with a view to reducing the morbidity of these events.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC