Two men, 39 and 29 years old, ate comfrey, also known as “devil’s breath”, then vomited profusely, weakened their limbs, and fell into a coma.
On November 16, a representative of Lang Son General Hospital said that three days ago, a 39-year-old patient was admitted to the emergency room in a state of unconsciousness, cold skin, cyanosis all over the body, bleeding in the groin area, and subcutaneous air. neck, chest, arms and abdominal walls on both sides. While the 29-year-old man vomited a lot and had weak limbs. At about 7:00 p.m. the same day, the two of them ate bellflowers together.
Doctors diagnosed two patients with comfrey poisoning and pneumothorax. The 39-year-old patient’s condition got worse, was on a ventilator, and was treated at the Department of Intensive Care – Poison Control.
The comfrey plant’s scientific name is Scopolamine, originating from South America, containing the hallucinogen scopolamine, so it is also called “devil’s breath”. Bluebells look like lilies and are white and yellow.
Bell flower tree. Image: Hospital provided
According to experts, all parts of the comfrey plant contain toxins. If ingested, the patient may experience mild poisoning, with symptoms of vomiting, fatigue, and dizziness. In severe cases, if not treated promptly, the patient is at risk of kidney failure, acute heart failure, hallucinations, paranoia, pale limbs, respiratory failure, and even death if not treated promptly. Many years ago, the hospital received a whole family poisoned by eating comfrey.
Doctors advise people to absolutely not pick flowers and wild plants to eat or make medicine without fully understanding the toxicity of the plants. In case someone is found to have accidentally eaten something, it is necessary to use first aid to induce vomiting on the spot, then take it to the nearest medical facility for treatment.