Case Report of Lethal Toxin Lurking in an Edible Plant

摘要

Cyanide is notoriously known to the public for more than a century now as a weapon of mass destruction (Zyklon B gas - Hydrogen Cyanide used by Nazis), an agent for chemical warfare during World War I (Hydrogen Cyanide) and very infamous “Suicide Pill” used in the past by Military and Espionage organizations during World War II (Potassium Cyanide). During the modern industrial era, Cyanide poisoning is commonly associated with industrial exposure and domestic fires. But there is little awareness about potentially fatal consequences of cyanide poisoning from common food sources. Here, we present the case of 79-year-old Chinese female with acute Cyanide poisoning from improperly prepared Cassava leaves.