Abstract
Turpentine is an oleoresin obtained from various species of pine. In turpentine poisoning, various signs and symptoms of toxicity may develop, including hematuria, renal failure, loss of vision, chest pain, vomiting, severe coughing, gastroesophageal hemorrhage, hypotension, swelling of the throat and even death. We report a case of turpentine ingestion in a 9-year-old boy. The patient was admitted to our clinic with suspected intoxication after accidentally drinking from a glass that held a turpentine oil preparation used by his father for hair care. The patient displayed no significant signs and symptoms other than bradycardia and hypotension. Laboratory investigations revealed no abnormalities. The patient was hospitalized for close monitoring and observation. During a two-and-a-half-day observation period, hypotension was corrected with administration of dopamine and intravenous fluids. In this report, we wish to draw attention to the dangerous effects of plant-derived drugs.
Copyright and license
Copyright © 2015 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.