Family treated for poisoning

April 20, 2011

The Centre for Health Protection is investigating a poisoning case involving a family who consumed a broth containing a Chinese medicinal herb.
 
The 53-year-old father, 54-year-old mother and their 19-year-old son fell ill after having the broth believed to contain Cassytha filiformis which they collected while hiking near Luk Keng on April 12.
 
They were admitted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and discharged on April 14.
 
Tests found the presence of gelsemine, which is mainly meant for external use to relieve pain or heal bruises.
 
The centre said Cassytha filiformis does not contain gelsemine and believes their symptoms could be related to a mix-up or contamination with other plants that grew around the species, such as Gelsemium elegans, which contains gelsemine.