How to treat castor seed poisoning
May 15, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Shuwen
Introduction
Castor beans contain ricin. Poisoning may affect the nervous, digestive, and cardiovascular systems. If poisoning occurs, immediate treatment including induced vomiting, gastric lavage, fluid replacement, and diuresis should be administered. If the patient does not vomit after poisoning, the throat, soft palate, jaw, and other areas should be stimulated immediately to induce vomiting.
Castor beans contain ricin, a toxin that may affect the nervous, digestive, and cardiovascular systems after poisoning. If symptoms of poisoning occur, immediate treatment including induced vomiting, gastric lavage, fluid replacement, and diuresis should be administered. Specific measures are as follows:
1. Induced Vomiting
If the patient does not vomit spontaneously after poisoning, immediately stimulate areas such as the throat, soft palate, and lower jaw to induce vomiting, thereby reducing toxin absorption in the body.
2. Gastric Lavage
In cases of castor bean poisoning where symptoms do not improve after induced vomiting, prompt medical attention is recommended. Under medical supervision, procedures such as tube gastric lavage or emetic-assisted gastric washing should be performed to empty stomach contents and alleviate poisoning symptoms.
3. Fluid Replacement and Diuresis
After alleviating clinical symptoms, patients should follow medical advice to take rehydration salts, furosemide tablets, or other fluid-replacement and diuretic medications to restore acid-base balance, promote urine production, and accelerate toxin elimination from the body.
In addition to the above common treatments, relief may also be achieved through laxatives, corticosteroid pulse therapy, oxygen supplementation, and other methods. In case of poisoning, it is strongly advised to seek immediate medical care.
