Eating cassava seeds hope to prevent diabetes, the couple is completely paralyzed

Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital is treating 2 patients with poison ivy, leading to muscle atrophy and paralysis of the whole body. It is worth warning that this plant is recommended as a medicine to cure diseases, but in fact this is a poisonous plant, which has directly caused death in humans and animals.

Patient Pham Thi X. (SN1966) and her husband, Mr. Truong Cong N. (SN 1958) living in Kien Giang, were transferred to Bach Mai Hospital in a state of muscle atrophy, limited movement of both hands, difficulty speaking and paralysis of 2 legs. Ms. X shared that from September to November, 2021, Ms. X and her husband had an acquaintance who gave them mung bean seeds to grow and eat. According to word of mouth, Mrs. X knew that mung bean seeds could cure diabetes. The blood sugar of Mrs. X and her husband is slightly above the normal range, but not to the threshold of diabetes. However, she and her husband still eat cassava seeds with the desire to prevent disease.

Mrs. X shared more, at first she only ate about 2 seeds a day, then she ate more and ate every day. After eating for about 3 months, this woman saw that she was tired, weak, her limbs were weak and her weight lost 15kg, so she went to a hospital in Kien Giang. After that, her husband X also had similar symptoms and also lost 10kg of weight.

Here, the doctor diagnosed her with calcium deficiency, so she prescribed calcium supplements for her. After taking the prescription, but the symptoms did not improve, even worse, Ms. X and her husband went to a large hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for treatment. The doctor diagnosed her and her husband with polyneuritis, and had to have acupuncture and acupressure. At the end of the course of treatment, the disease did not improve, but got worse, not only weak in limbs but also paralyzed in both legs and had to move in a wheelchair. Doctors at the hospital sent her and her husband’s blood samples to Singapore for testing and the results showed that she and her husband suspected heavy metal poisoning. The patient and his wife were referred to the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital for treatment.

Mrs. X and her husband were transferred to the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital on April 12, 2022 in a state of muscle atrophy, limited mobility in both arms, difficulty speaking, and paralysis of both legs. After more than a month of treatment with 8 times of dialysis and plasma exchange, the health of Mrs. X and her husband has gradually improved. Mr. N. was able to hold a bowl of rice, stand up on his own and walk around the bed. Mrs. X made it clear, swallowing normally, lifting a bowl of rice on her own and standing up on her own two feet.

TS.BS. Nguyen Trung Nguyen – Director of the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital shared that both patients when admitted to the hospital suffered from paralysis of the roots and nerves of the whole body, severe muscle atrophy, and the wife began to paralyze the oropharynx, which is at risk. survival function. The center has carried out many examinations, tests, consultations with many specialties. Investigations and examinations ruled out other causes of illness, including heavy metal poisoning.

Two patients also had muscle biopsies that showed signs of muscle fibrosis, atrophy, and degeneration. The plant samples brought by two patients were sent for identification by experts, showing that this is a plant, or star fruit, the scientific name is Senna occidentalis (also known as Cassia occidentalis). The patient was poisoned for a long time, causing muscle atrophy leading to paralysis of all limbs. Currently, the patient’s health has partially improved, but in the long run, there is still a risk of sequelae.

TS.BS. Nguyen advises that all patients should not listen to word of mouth to treat diseases, but should visit a doctor or licensed physician for examination and treatment. Talking about cassava leading to the patient’s poisoning, Dr. BS Nguyen said that the case of Mrs. X and her husband was the first case of Vietnam discovered.

Outside of Vietnam, the world literature has only published a few cases of poisoning in Indian children (most of which have died). Poisoning of this plant occurs a lot in cattle and poultry in many countries. The toxin in this plant is anthraquinone, a toxin found in the whole plant but concentrated in the seeds, which has been recorded to cause muscle and nerve toxicity, especially muscle necrosis, muscle degeneration, liver damage, brain and death in humans and animals.

Ngoc Trang