2. • CERBERA THEVETIA IS A POISONOUS PLANT NATIVE TO CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MEXICO
• ALL PARTS OF THE PLANT ARE POISONOUS
• THE FLOWERS ARE LARGE,BELL SHAPED AND YELLOW,SPIRALLY
TWISTED LOBES AND SPREADING
• LEAVES ARE LANCEOLATE SHAPED
• FRUIT IS GLOBULAR LIGHT GREEN,CONTAINS A SINGLE NUT WHICH IS
TRIANGULAR WITH 4 CHAMBERS EACH ENCLOSING A PALE YELLOW SEED
WITH A DEEP GROOVE ALONG THE EDGE
• SEEDS CONTAIN 4% OF CARDIAC GLYCOSIDE ‘THEVETIN’
• MILKY JUICE EXUDES FROM ALL PARTS OF THE PLANT
5. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• SAP OF THE PLANT MAY CAUSE INFLAMMATION IN SENSITIVE INDIVIDUALS
• CHEWING THE BARK OR SEED KERNEL CAUSES A SLIGHT NUMBING
SENSATION AND FEELING OF HEAT IN THE MOUTH AND PURGING
• INGESTION CAUSES BURNING PAIN IN THE MOUTH,DRYNESS OF
THROAT,TINGLING AND NUMBNESS OF
TONGUE,VOMITING,DIARRHOEA,HEADACHE
• GIDDINESS,DILATED PUPILS,LOSS OF MUSCULAR POWER AND FAINTING
• PULSE IS RAPID,WEAK AND IRREGULAR
• BLOOD PRESSURE LOW
• HEART BLOCK,COLLAPSE AND DEATH FROM PERIPHERAL CIRCULATORY
FAILURE OCCURS
6. • FATAL DOSE
8-10 SEEDS:15-20 g ROOT:5-10 LEAVES
• FATAL PERIOD
2-3 HOURS
8. TREATMENT
• WASH OUT THE STOMACH
• SODIUM MOLAR LACTATE TRANSFUSION WITH GLUCOSE AND 1mg
ATROPINE,2ml ADRENALINE AND 2mg NORADRENALINE IS BENEFICIAL
• ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
• ANTI ARRHYTHMIC DRUGS ARE INDICATED IN THE PRESENCE OF
ARRHYTHMIAS
• SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENT
9. CIRCUMSTANCES OF POISONING
• ROOT AND SEEDS ARE USED FOR SUICIDE AND HOMICIDE
• ROOT AND SEEDS ARE USED FOR CRIMINAL ABORTION
• CATTLE POISONING:SEEDS ARE CRUSHED AND FED TO THE ANIMAL WITH
CORN OR BREAD
10. PRESERVATION OF VISCERA
THE USUAL VISCERA TAKEN FOR CHEMICAL ANALYSIS:
• STOMACH WITH CONTENTS AND 30cm OF UPPER INTESTINE IN ONE
BOTTLE
• 500gm OF LIVER AND HALF OF EACH KIDNEY IN THE SECOND BOTTLE
• 30ml OF BLOOD
• 30ml OF URINE
• A SAMPLE OF THE PRESERVATIVE SHOULD BE TAKEN IN ANOTHER
BOTTLE
• RECTIFIED SPIRIT IS A GOOD PRESERVATIVE IN CASE OF PLANT
POISONING SINCE PLANT POISONS ARE GLYCOSIDES AND ALKALOIDS
WHICH REACT WITH SODIUM CHLORIDE