A prospective Study on Toxic Plants in Iran (a Case Series)

Objectives: Plantar poisoning is not unusual in Iran. Toxic plants are different according to geographic distribution. There are different toxic plants in Iran like Datura Stramonium (DS), Cannabis, Atropa belladonna and musroom, Nerium oleander and Albizinia julibrisin. It is important not only knowledge of different plants and their distribution, but also knowledge of which part of plant has toxic effect. Materials and Methods: This study is a case series on all patients admitted to Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, with acute plantar poisoning between 2010 and 2012. We observed their .Symptoms, signs, routine laboratory test results and treatment used to control their symptoms. We confirmed the plant by characteristic picture, clinical signs, and finally by consultation with professors of plantar and agricultural university. Results: There were 41 patients included in our study. Children were poisoned more commonly than Teenagers and poisoning in adults was rare. All of the children ingested the plant accidentally. But two adults used them for euphoria effect. The most common poisonous plants in our study repeatedly were Datura Stramonium (DS), Cannabis, Atropa belladonna and musroom, Albizinia julibrissin and Nerium oleander. Conclusion: Our study showed most of plantar poisoned population in our country are children. We suggest decreasing accessibility to the toxic plants in order to decrease the incidence of its poisoning.