Acute Intoxication With Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum)

TL;DR

Poison hemlock is highly toxic and can be mistaken for edible plants, but with quick diagnosis and treatment, recovery is possible.

Contribution

The paper presents two cases of poison hemlock intoxication with different severity levels and successful recovery outcomes.

Findings

Poison hemlock intoxication can mimic nicotine effects on the nervous system.

Rapid diagnosis and medical intervention are crucial for recovery from poisoning.

Two cases of intoxication with full recovery were successfully treated in Portugal.

Abstract

Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is regarded as one of the most poisonous plants worldwide, and it can easily be misidentified as edible species as celery, parsnip (for their leaves), or carrots (for their roots). Toxicity comes from piperidine alkaloids, which mimic nicotine effect on the autonomous nervous system giving a clinical picture of nicotinic syndrome with an initial excitatory phase and secondary inhibitory one. In Portugal, this plant is used as an ancient technique for river fishing. Death comes from respiratory arrest and hemodynamic collapse; rapid diagnosis and medical support are essential for successful treatment. We present two cases of different degrees of intoxication with total recovery.

Figures