MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Potato - green tubers and sprouts

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Potato - green tubers and sprouts

Contents of this page:
Alternative names Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms	Home Treatment Before Calling Emergency Poison Control, or a local emergency number What to expect at the emergency room Expectations (prognosis)

Alternative names

Solanum tuberosum

Definition Return to top

Poisoning caused by consumption of green tubers and/or new sprouts of the potato plant.

Poisonous Ingredient Return to top

solanine (very toxic even in small quantities)

Where Found Return to top

The toxin is found throughout the plant but especially in green potatoes and in the new sprouts. Never eat potatoes that are spoiled or green below the skin. Always throw away the sprouts.

Potatoes that are not green and have had any sprouts removed are safe to eat.

Symptoms Return to top

body as a whole
- hypothermia (lower than normal body temperature)
- paralysis
- shock
- fever
respiratory
- slowed breathing
eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- dilated pupils
- vision changes
gastrointestinal
- stomach or abdominal pain
- vomiting
- diarrhea
heart and blood vessels:
- slow pulse
nervous system:
- headache
- delirium
- loss of sensation
- hallucinations

Home Treatment Return to top

Call poison control.

Before Calling Emergency Return to top

Determine the following information:

the patient's age, weight, and condition
the name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
the time it was swallowed
the amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number Return to top

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Bring the plant with you to the emergency room for identification.

What to expect at the emergency room Return to top

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed on the patient:

Induce vomiting.
Use gastric lavage.
Activated charcoal.
Treat the symptoms

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

Death has been reported but is rare.

Update Date: 2/23/2004

Updated by: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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