Hellebore poisoning: symptoms, first aid, treatment, consequences

Lobel's hellebore is a herbaceous plant that belongs to the lily family. Its life expectancy is quite high - over five decades. The prevalence around the world is also very significant - from the Mediterranean steppes of Europe to the coldest regions of Asia. As a result of this, the hello can almost everywhere be found on the territory of Russia. This grass is characterized by high frost resistance and survival even in the most adverse conditions, characterized by poor composition and quality of the soil. Due to the fact that the plant does not eat cattle, it has spread widely in a variety of meadows and pastures. Many people are interested in how dangerous poisoning by hellebore water is.

Plant use

Currently, the plant is widely used in medicine. From it, pharmacologists make hellebore water and tincture. Rhizome of grass is used as the main raw material.

Even in the last century, experts considered hellebore a good medicinal plant. It was able to rid the patient of parasites, causing profuse diarrhea and the release of excess fluid.

In some cases, hellebore extract was part of the drugs intended for the treatment of hypertension. In addition, such drugs were prescribed as painkillers for a variety of neurological diseases.

The use of hellebore in our time

Today, the use of hellebore is substantially limited. This is due to the following two important factors:

• a large number of side effects resulting from the use of grass;
• the advent of new safer drugs.

For example, hellebore grass is currently used only for external use in the fight against blood-sucking exoparasites. The latter include fleas and lice. In addition, such a tool has a certain effect in the treatment of mycotic lesions of the skin. It is forbidden to take in helpless water inside. The consequences of poisoning can be unpredictable, since even a small dose is enough for death.

Chemeritsa is currently widely used in folk medicine. In this case, it may have other names. Most often, this grass is called a top, a puppeteer, a skull, a turkey, a cheremigra, a common lady, a chychot, etc. Such components are often included in the means, which, according to some healers, are able to save a person from alcohol dependence. Often, such treatment leads either to severe intoxication of the patient, or to his death. The use of hellebore for the treatment of chronic alcoholism is considered by doctors so dangerous that it is not recommended to carry it out even under the supervision of a team of medical staff. The effectiveness of first aid equipment may not be sufficient to save a person in case of an overdose of poison.

The main problem of using preparations based on hellebore is that it contains toxic substances - alkaloids. This applies to veratramine, proteoveratrin, veratralbin, iervin, pseudo-iervin, as well as hermetrin. Dangerous to humans are all parts of the plant, whether it be the roots, leaves or the stem. In the first case, the concentration of poison reaches 2.5% of the total mass, in the second - up to 1.3%, and in the third - up to 0.55%. These dangerous substances are characterized by neuro- and cardiotoxicity, as well as the possibility of damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Often poisoning with hellebore water leads to the death of a person.

How can this substance be poisoned ?

Most often, hellebore poisoning occurs in the following situations:

1. When using the product without first consulting with a qualified doctor.
2. If you exceed the recommended dose or the number of procedures per day.
3. When taking liquid inside for the treatment of alcohol addiction.
4. In case of accidental use of funds by negligence. First of all, this applies to children.
5. With prolonged use, which leads to the accumulation of alkaloids in the body.
6. When applied to the skin in the presence of any damage (wounds or scratches).
7. By production means at home.

In all of the above cases, the risk of poisoning by helical water is very high.

Symptoms of hellebore poisoning

Alkaloids that are contained in hellebore, after entering the human body excite the heart and brain, after which they dramatically inhibit their work. Poisoning with hellebore water (according to ICD 10 code T50.9.0) can only be diagnosed by a doctor. The negative effect of a substance on the body provokes the appearance of symptoms such as:

1. Neuromuscular Arousal Over time, it changes the oppression of consciousness.
2. Increased muscle tone. Often it is so stable that it leads to convulsions.
3. Persistence and burning in the respiratory system.
4. Unproductive paroxysmal cough. As a result, the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract is even more damaged.
5. Shortness of breath, which occurs even with slight physical exertion.
6. Active salivation.
7. Thirst and difficulty swallowing.
8. Intense pain in the head.
9. Decreased blood pressure (in rare cases, it can increase).
10. Decrease in heart rate.
11. Nausea and vomiting.
12. Decrease in tactile sensitivity.
13. Pain near the navel and in the epigastric region.
14. Diarrhea accompanied by blood secretion

The above symptoms can not only worsen a person’s state of health, but also lead to death.

First aid

When the first symptoms of poisoning by hellebore water appear, the following actions should be taken:

1. Rinse the stomach with 1 liter of warm liquid or a solution of potassium permanganate. To do this, you need to quickly use this volume of water and provoke vomiting.
2. Take enterosorbent. It can be Enterosgel, Polysorb, Atoxil, etc.
3. Take saline laxative if diarrhea is absent. Magnesium sulfate is effective.

Immediately after first aid, the patient must be taken to a medical facility.

The patient may die on the way to the hospital, then he will be taken to the morgue. If the autopsy showed poisoning with hellebore water, then this means that the person drank a lethal dose of the substance. In such situations, doctors are powerless.

When is medical assistance needed?

Additionally, you must contact a medical institution in the following cases:

1. When a person worsens after providing him first aid.
2. In case of poisoning of children or a woman bearing a child.
3. In the presence of vomit and feces of blood.
4. If it is impossible to get rid of adverse symptoms.
5. With a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure.
6. If convulsive syndrome occurs.
7. In the absence of consciousness in the patient.

Depending on the condition of the patient, he must be taken either to the intensive care unit or to the toxicological department. Further specific therapy of the patient should include the following measures:

1. Intravenous administration of quinolitics, contributing to the normalization of heart rate and blood pressure.
2. Taking beta-blockers to help increase blood pressure.
3. Reception of diuretics in combination with water loading with plentiful alkaline drink. This increases the ability of the kidneys to remove toxins.
4. Taking respiratory stimulants. Cordiaminum and caffeine 10% differs in efficiency.
5. Taking benzodiazepines to eliminate convulsive syndrome.
6. The introduction of potassium, sodium and magnesium preparations to normalize the water-salt balance.
7. Normalization of the level of metabolites to improve metabolic processes in the heart. For this, "Panangin", "Cocarboxylase" and "ATP" are used.

Treatment of the patient should be carried out with constant monitoring of his condition.

Possible consequences

After poisoning with hellebore water, the following consequences often arise:

1. Burns, eczema and dermatitis.
2. Toxic enterocolitis.
3. Chronic intestinal irritation.
4. Inflammation of the internal organs.
5. ATB and OCH.
6. Cardiac arrest.
7. Deterioration in kidney or liver function.
8. Coma.

As medical practice shows, many patients die after poisoning with hellebore water. What to do if a person drank this substance? First of all, it is important to rinse the stomach and call an ambulance.

Preventative measures

In order to prevent poisoning by hellebore, it is necessary:

1. Use the product as directed by your doctor.
2. Do not drink large amounts of liquid inside.
3. Follow dosage recommendations and schedule.
4. Keep out of the reach of children.

The above measures can help prevent poisoning by hellebore water, which can lead to severe physiological consequences.

Doctor's conclusion

If one of the symptoms of poisoning appears, consult a doctor immediately. Before the ambulance arrives, you should rinse your stomach - this is the only measure that will not harm the patient. Drug therapy without a doctor’s prescription is fatal. Alternative methods of treatment will only aggravate the well-being of the patient. Many are interested in the question of whether a pathologist will determine poisoning by hellebore water. In fact, it all depends on the amount of substance that the patient drank.