Mass Poisoning with Jatropha curcas - A Case Report

In India, accidental poisoning due to ingestion of plant seeds is common among children, especially under 12 years of age. It varies from relatively mild poisoning to fatal poisoning. Since unripe fruits of Yellow Oleander (Cerbera thevetia; Thevetia peruviana) resemble the fruits of Jatropha curcas, and symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain are common to both when ingested, differentiating the two is occasionally difficult. In this paper, the authors share their experience of a mass poisoning with Jatropha curcas that was initially mistaken to be due to Cerbera thevetia.