Potato poisoning
Potatoes are one of the most popular cultivated plants in many nations of the world. Due to their high nutritional value, potato tubers are of great importance for all mankind, and the population of Russia considers them "the second bread". Hundreds of different dishes can be prepared from potatoes. But it is also a healthy food product. It contains B vitamins and ascorbic acid, as well as valuable inorganic and organic compounds. Starch obtained from potato tubers is widely used in food and other industries.
Few people think about the fact that such a popular product can be hazardous to health.
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How does potato poisoning happen?
All plants in the nightshade family, which include potatoes, contain a poisonous substance called solanine. Solanin is a glycoside (glycoalkoloid) that has a chemical affinity for steroids. The toxic dose of solanine for humans is 200-400 mg. Fresh potato tubers contain about 0.05% of it - in order for clinical symptoms of poisoning to appear, an adult must eat about three kilograms of potatoes at a time.
But if the potatoes are stored in the light, then more and more solanine gradually accumulates in it. Closer to spring in such potatoes, the concentration of the toxic substance reaches 100-150 mg for every 100 grams of product. Even after peeling, during which up to 80% of the solanine is removed along with the peel, the poison content is still high. In this case, a serving of mashed potatoes or fried potatoes can lead to poisoning.
Solanin has a depressing effect on the nervous system. In addition, it causes damage to the cell membrane of erythrites, which leads to their destruction (hemolysis). With hemolysis, the blood supply in the renal vascular system is disrupted, the epithelium of the tubules is damaged and they are blocked by hemolytic products, which ultimately leads to the development of prerenal acute renal failure.
Solanin has the ability to accumulate in the human body, causing chronic potato poisoning. It is manifested by damage to the articular apparatus and an increased risk of developing malignant neoplasms.
Poisoning symptoms
Symptoms of acute potato poisoning are similar to those of any other food poisoning. These include:
- cramping abdominal pain;
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- severe weakness;
- diarrhea, in which stool becomes offensive.
Solanin has a pronounced bitter taste, so potato poisoning is often accompanied by a burning sensation and bitterness in the mouth.
Neurological disorders with solanine poisoning are manifested by dilated pupils, increased salivation, superficial irregular breathing, arrhythmia, and convulsions. If the victim is not urgently provided assistance, he may lose consciousness, and then fall into a coma.
Chronic potato poisoning is manifested by frequent headaches, drowsiness, itching, stomatitis, and joint pain. The suppression of immunity, characteristic of this type of intoxication, can give an impetus to the development of malignant tumors.
Source: depositphotos.com
First aid for potato poisoning
When the first signs of acute potato poisoning appear, first of all, the stomach should be washed. This allows you to remove the poison that has got into it from the body and thereby reduce the severity of poisoning, prevent the development of complications. To wash the stomach, the patient is given about a liter of salted water to drink, and then they vomit, irritating the root of the tongue. The procedure is repeated several times.
Then you should take any drug with a sorbing effect. It can be Smecta, Activated carbon or Polysorb MP.
The next step should be rehydration - drinking plenty of fluids in order to eliminate dehydration. The patient can be given plain or mineral water without gas, weak tea without sugar, Peditral's or Regidron's solution. You need to drink very often, but in small sips, so as not to provoke vomiting.
If you find signs of chronic potato poisoning, you should consult a doctor, first aid measures in this case are ineffective.
When is medical attention needed?
If, after providing first aid, the victim does not feel better, you should definitely consult a doctor. Medical assistance is also needed when potato poisoning occurs in a pregnant woman, child or elderly person.
Treatment is carried out in the conditions of the department of toxicology. There is no specific antidote to solanine, therefore, only symptomatic treatment is carried out, that is, aimed at eliminating the symptoms of poisoning, and not at its cause. Detoxification therapy is prescribed, the introduction of vitamins and medical nutrition are indicated.
Possible consequences
In severe potato poisoning against the background of massive hemolysis, the patient may develop acute renal failure. This is a very dangerous complication that can lead to the formation of chronic renal failure, and in severe cases, death.
Neurological complications leading to breathing disorders often contribute to pneumonia, which requires additional treatment.
Prevention
Immediately after the ripening of potatoes, the content of solanine in its tubers is minimal, but by the spring its concentration increases sharply, especially under the influence of sunlight. Therefore, for the prevention of potato poisoning, it is recommended to follow the rule: before the New Year, you can eat potatoes without restrictions, and then reduce its presence in the diet. In the spring, you should give up fried and baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato pies and add potatoes only to the first courses. At the same time, it is important when cleaning to remove all eyes, areas of a greenish color, and cut off the skin with a thick layer. After cleaning, it is advisable to soak the tubers either in a weak solution of vinegar or in salt water, this promotes the destruction of solanine and reduces the risk of poisoning.
Store potatoes without access to light, which reduces the formation of solanine in it. If the surface of the tuber is more than a quarter green, then it is strictly forbidden to use it for food. Such potatoes cannot be used in animal nutrition.
Now there are potato varieties on sale with a reduced solanine content. For cultivation on a personal plot, preference should be given to these particular developments of breeders.
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Elena Minkina Doctor anesthesiologist-resuscitator About the author
Education: graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute, specializing in general medicine in 1991. Repeatedly passed refresher courses.
Work experience: anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the city maternity complex, resuscitator of the hemodialysis department.
The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
