Man in Nghe An dies after drinking alcohol soaked with poison ivy
(Baonghean.vn) - Nghe An Food Safety Department concluded that the cause of death of a man in Quy Chau was due to drinking alcohol soaked with roots and tree trunks containing toxic substances from the poison ivy plant.
Previously, Nghe An Newspaper reported that at around 8:00 p.m. on July 8, 2018, Mr. Vi Van Dan (residing in Coc village, Chau Binh commune, Quy Chau district) invited his close friend, Mr. Vi Van Son (residing in the same village) to have dinner with Mr. Dan's wife and children.
After dinner, Mr. Dan took out the wine that his family had cooked and soaked with wild roots (unknown plant name) to drink together. After drinking 2 small cups, both showed signs of poisoning. Mr. Dan died before reaching the district hospital, Mr. Son was transferred and treated at the Tay Bac Regional General Hospital and is now recovered.
 |
| Mr. Vi Van Son while being treated at Quy Chau General Hospital. Photo: Archive |
After the incident, the authorities sealed the wine bottle and took samples for testing. The test results from the National Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene showed that the food sample in the wine bottle tested positive for Koumin in the wine sample and in the roots used to soak the wine.
“Koumin is a compound found in the aconite plant. Koumin is one of the components that make up the alkaloids found in the aconite plant, such as Gelsenicin, Gelsamydin, and Gelsemoxonin,” said the Food Safety Department.
Previously, on March 12, 2018, in Cha Lan village, Huu Lap commune, Ky Son district, a similar incident occurred, 4 people drank wine soaked with roots and stems of unknown species, causing 3 deaths. Food samples in this case, after being tested, were also determined to contain Koumin.
Through the two food poisoning cases above, the provincial Food Safety Department requested local authorities at all levels, sectors, and mass organizations to widely propagate on the media and in many forms about the harmful effects and dangers to life when using parts of the aconite plant.
People absolutely do not use parts of the aconite plant or plants of unknown origin to soak in alcohol or in any other form to avoid unfortunate incidents./.
The toxicity of Aconite is due to the alkaloids contained in the entire plant, in decreasing order of toxicity from roots, leaves, flowers, fruits and stems. Up to 17 alkaloid monomers have been extracted from Aconite, of which the koumin content is the highest. People poisoned by Aconite have symptoms of thirst, sore throat, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea... then muscle fatigue, low body temperature, low blood pressure, clenched teeth, foaming at the mouth, severe abdominal pain, weak heartbeat, difficulty breathing, dilated pupils and rapid death due to respiratory arrest.
