Two children were hospitalized with poisoning after swallowing frangipani flower sap.

Two children in Tan Long Hoi commune, Vinh Long province, were admitted to the emergency room in a state of exhaustion, frequent vomiting, and headaches after accidentally swallowing sap from frangipani flowers.

Upon admission to the Emergency Department, the two children who had swallowed frangipani flower pus were quickly assessed for their overall condition, and their vital signs and level of poisoning were closely monitored.

Emergency physicians immediately implemented initial treatment measures such as fluid replacement and vomiting control to stabilize the patient's condition. The patient was then transferred to the Pediatrics Department for further specialized treatment.

A doctor examines a child suffering from frangipani flower sap poisoning.

PHOTO: YV

This is not an isolated case.

On April 23, Dr. Tran Dang Khoa, Head of the Pediatrics Department at Xuyen A General Hospital in Vinh Long , said that pediatric patients were prescribed activated charcoal to limit the absorption of remaining toxins in the digestive tract, while closely monitoring for possible complications affecting the cardiovascular, neurological, and digestive systems.

According to Doctor Khoa, it is noteworthy that this is not an isolated case; similar cases have been recorded locally before, indicating that the risk of poisoning from this familiar ornamental plant is being underestimated.

The sap of the frangipani flower contains compounds that can have a direct impact on the heart muscle.

According to Doctor Khoa, frangipani flowers, especially Thai frangipani (also known as desert frangipani), contain a group of cardiac glycosides – a type of toxin that can directly affect the heart muscle. Toxicity is present throughout the entire plant, from the sap, stem, leaves to the flowers. When ingested, these substances not only irritate the digestive mucosa with symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain, but can also affect the cardiovascular system, causing arrhythmias and hypotension. In severe cases, the risk of complications can be life-threatening if not detected and treated promptly.

The frangipani tree that the child patient picked to try eating.

PHOTO: BSCC

The sap of the frangipani flower is milky white, easily piquing the curiosity of young children.

The worrying aspect is that the sap of the frangipani flower is milky white, easily attracting the curiosity of young children, while the flower itself is beautiful and easily mistaken for something edible. These risk factors exist even in familiar living spaces like gardens, but are often overlooked by adults.

Doctors advise against using folk remedies.

Dr. Khoa also advised parents to pay special attention to keeping children away from frangipani trees, especially after they have been pruned; instruct children not to touch the tree sap, and not to put their hands or foreign objects in their mouths; if they notice any unusual symptoms such as vomiting or headaches after contact with or suspected ingestion of tree sap, they should quickly take the child to the nearest medical facility for timely treatment; and absolutely not to self-treat with folk remedies.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nuot-mu-hoa-su-2-tre-nhap-vien-cap-cuu-vi-ngo-doc-185260423001119549.htm