MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Pokeweed

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Pokeweed

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

American Nightshade; Inkberry; Pigion Berry; Pokeberry

Definition Return to top

Poisoning caused by consumption of plant material from the pokeweed plant.

Poisonous Ingredient Return to top

phytolacca americana

The highest concentration is found in the rootstock, next in the leaves and stems, and the smallest amount in the fruit. Cooked berries are edible. THOROUGHLY cooked leaves (COOKED TWICE IN SEPARATE WATERS) are edible. Roots should never be eaten.

Where Found Return to top

various varieties of pokeweed

Note: this plant may have other names.

Symptoms Return to top

body as a whole
- weakness
- muscle spasms
- convulsions
- headache
respiratory
- difficulty breathing
- slowed breathing
gastrointestinal
- stomach or abdominal pain
- abdominal cramps (severe)
- nausea
- vomiting
- foamy diarrhea
- excessive salivation
heart and blood vessels
- rapid pulse
- low blood pressure
- heart block

Home Treatment Return to top

Do not induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by Poison Control or by a physician.

Before Calling Emergency Return to top

Determine the following information:

the patient's age, weight, and condition
the name of the plant and parts eaten
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

Deaths have been reported. Improper cooking of leaves or eating some of the roots with the leaves can cause serious poisoning. Eating more than 10 uncooked berries can cause serious consequences in children.

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.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.