Upper Airway Edema Resulting From Use of Ecballium elaterium

Abstract

We think a further study of the pharmaceutical properties of the plant's fruit juice is needed, especially regarding its curative properties of rhinitis and sinusitis. However, adverse reactions in some patients with a positive history of allergy should always be considered.

Cholestatic hepatitis due to Ecballium elaterium ingestion

“…In the case presented, the patient did not mention any allergic reaction, respiratory or ocular toxicity due to previous use of Ecballium elaterium extract. Kloutsos et al [8] reported 42 exposures to Ecballium elaterium and more than 93% of the cases had a previous history of allergic reactions. Even higher concentrations of elaterin can cause neurotoxicity (convulsion or bradypnea), renal or heart failure, and death (doses over 1 g).…”

Effect of ethanolic extract of Ecballium elaterium against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans

“…The unripe fruit is of a pale green color, and covered with numerous, uniseriate glandular hairs, which eject dark seeds and juice after maturity in response to light pressure. It is common throughout the Mediterranean area as a medicinal plant [4][5][6][7] . E. elaterium is of interest today because its fruits extracts are still used in Mediterranean region in different medicinal system [5,8] .…”

“…Several toxicity and allergic reactions have been described if used undiluted [4,7,[13][14][15][16] . The mechanism of toxicity (i.e., direct toxic effect, hypersensitivity response) is also not well defined, but the clinical effects often do not respond to antihistamines or epinephrine.…”

Uvular Edema Resulting from Use of Ecballium elaterium

“…Kloutsos et al [6] have reported that 42 exposures to elaterium and 93% of them had a previous history of allergic reaction. Eken et al [7] has reported a case with nasal mucosa necrosis caused by direct toxic effect of E. elaterium.…”