1 / 80

Plant Poisoning

Plant Poisoning. Dr. Ravi Nanayakkara . Objectives. Introduction, classification and identification of poisonous plants. Circumstances, route of entry, metabolism and excretion of plant poisons.

hanh
Download Presentation

Plant Poisoning

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Plant Poisoning Dr. Ravi Nanayakkara

  2. Objectives • Introduction, classification and identification of poisonous plants. • Circumstances, route of entry, metabolism and excretion of plant poisons. • Mechanism of action, target organs, clinical features(early and late phase) and principles of management. • Autopsy features(external and internal) and sample collection.

  3. Plant poisoning • More than 300 poisonous plants. • Some are edible. • Act on more than one organ, but act principally on one organ system.

  4. Classification • Neurotoxins • Cardiac toxins • Gastrointestinal irritants • Cellular poisons

  5. Neurotoxins • Datura stramonium • Substances of abuse Canabis sativa Erythrocylon coca Papaver somniferum • Strychnos Nux vomika

  6. Cardiac toxins • Nerium odorum • Thevetia peruviana

  7. Gastro intestinal irritants • Gloria superba • Ricinus communis

  8. Cellular poisons • Manihot utilissma • Adenia palmeta

  9. Datura stramonium • Attana • CNS

  10. Toxic substances • Atropine • Hyoscine • Hyocyamine • Scopolamine All are alkaloids

  11. Circumstances • Accidental –Children eat the seed or fruit Eating the leaves (mistakenly) • Intentional – for revenge, confuse an enemy to robbery – mix with thalaguli during long distance bus travels • Suicidal ingestion rare.

  12. Absorption • GIT • Skin • Mucous membranes

  13. Target Organs - Atropine • brain, heart, smooth muscles, glands • Excretion - Kidney

  14. Clinical features • Shown in the table.

  15. Principles of Management • Eliminate the poison • Phytostigmine to reverse the action • Diazepam to control fits • Manage complications accordingly

  16. Mode of death • Respiratory paralysis  Asphyxia

  17. Postmortem finding • Non specific • Seeds or fragments of the plant may be found in the stomach.stomach may show slight inflmmation. • Lungs : pulmonary oedema. • Other organs will show sings of asphyxia.

  18. Specimen collection • Stomach and contents • Intestine • Urine • Blood

  19. Canabis sativa • Ganja – flower • Marijuana – flowery tops / cut leaves • Hashish – dried resin • H oil – oily extract

  20. Toxic substances • Alkaloids • Cannabinol • Cannabidiol • Cannabidiolic acid

  21. Circumstances • Smoking • Beverage • With datura

  22. Clinical features • Inhibitions removed – like alcohol • Confusion • Restlessness • Hallucinations • Narcosis • Nausea • Depression

  23. Principles of management • Symptomatic

  24. Autopsy • Non specific • Features of addiction

  25. Erythrocylon coca • Grows in Central/South America • Toxic Substances • Alkaloid – cocaine • Leaves • Synthetic • Action – stimulates CNS and CVS similarly to adrenalin

  26. Clinical features Shown in the table.

  27. Discussed in drugs of abuse

  28. Papaver somniferum(Opium / Heroin) • Unriped capsule of poppy plant • Alkaloids – morphine codeine narcolin papavarin ……

  29. Circumstances • Ingestion • Inhalation • Injections

  30. Clinical features • Excitement – euphoria • Depression of brain stem • Narcosis and death

  31. Discussed in drugs of abuse

  32. Strychnos Nux vomikaGoda/Divi kaduru • Spinal stimulant • Commonly found in Southern costal area. • Toxin is mainly found in seeds. • Poison – Strychnine ( an alkaloid)

  33. Circumstances • Accidental – Children eat fruit • Suicidal rare due to bitter • Homicidal rare due to bitter • Abstract of seeds(strychnine) is used to as a rodenticide, kill stray dogs by injecting with a long stick • Homicidal injection - rare

  34. Absorption • All mucosal surfaces • Rapidly absorbed via GIT and spread throughout body

  35. Target organ • Spinal cord and brain

  36. Action • Strychnine stimulate the brain and spinal cord by inhibiting the inhibitory pathways. • Hyperexcitation of brain stem and spinal cord. • Slightest stimulation can cause convulsions.

  37. Clinical features • Bitter taste in mouth • Muscle stiffness • Tremors • Twitching • Convulsions • Concious till death

  38. Differential diagnosis

  39. Management • Maintain airway, breathing, circulation • Control fits • Minimum stimulation Gastric lavarge and vomiting can precipitate convulsion. • Management of complications

  40. Mode of death • Hypoxia to brain stem Respiratory paralysis Asphyxia

  41. Autopsy • Non specific • Asphyxia • Muscle haemorrhages

  42. Cardio vascular system • Thevetia peruviana – Yellow oliander • Nerium oleander – Pink oliander

  43. Circumstances • Suicide-consume fruits • Accidental – any part of the plant (children) • Homicidal-rare

  44. Toxic substance • Cardiac glycosides – digitalis like action • Inhibit Na+/K+ ATPase • Alteration of membrane potential in myocardium and neurones • Increse cardiac Excitability Contractility Automaticity

  45. Route of absorption • GIT-injestion

  46. Target organs • Heart (mainly) - Arrhythmias • CNS - Neuronal excitability  depression • GIT-irritant

  47. Clinical features • Faintishness,papitation, irregular pulse,hypotensoin • Yellow vision,blurred vision,dilated pupils, muscular twiching,tetanic spasms,anxiety, confusion • Nausea,vomiting • Pain in throat and numbness in tongue and lips,abdominal pain,profuse salivation

  48. Principles of management • Emesis • Activated charcoal • Antidote-Kaneru tab (Antibody against cardiac glycosides) • Management of complications

More Related