
Death related to Herbal Therapy for Joint Pains – A rare case of Gloriossa Superba Poisoning
379-380
Correspondence
Peter George MD, Department of Medicine, Yenepoya Medical
College, University Road, Mangalore, Karnataka State, India.
575018.
E mail: drpetergeorge2002@yahoo.com, Phone: +91 9845177660;
+91 824 2204668/69/70, Fax: +91 824 2204667
Native practitioners in rural areas use plant parts or extracts as medications for common ailments. Herbal medications are gaining popularity, even in developed countries. However, there are no qualitative or quantitative standards for most of the herbal medications. Due to this, the patients at times, suffer fatalities.
We report the case of an elderly woman who consumed the tubers of Gloriosa superba as treatment for her joint pains and died of its toxicity. Colchicine is the alkaloid extract of Gloriosa superba and it is used in many rheumatological and immunological diseases.