Ingestion of Lantana camara is not associated with significant effects in children

We sought to identify characteristics of children with reported ingestion of Lantana camara.

We reviewed the California Poison Control System database for all reported pediatric ingestions of L. camara for the years 1997-2008. Data collected included age, gender, clinical effects, duration of effects, medical interventions, and outcomes.

There were a total of 641 patients; patient ages ranged from 1 to 16 years, with a mean of 2.5 years. Reported effects included vomiting (n = 30), abdominal pain (n = 8), agitation (n = 6), diarrhea (n = 6), throat/mouth irritation (n = 5), tachycardia (n = 4), drowsiness (n = 3), nausea (n = 2), and mydriasis (n = 1). There was no difference in frequency of symptoms between patients who ingested ripe (15.5% [95% confidence interval: 9.1%-21.8%]) versus unripe (6.0% [95% confidence interval: 0.9%-11.1%]) berries or between patients who ingested berries (10.5% [95% confidence interval: 7.3%-13.8%]) versus other plant parts (7.1% [95% confidence interval: 4.0%-10.3%]). Fifty-one patients (8%) were treated in a health care facility and 2 (0.3%) were admitted. No significant effects and no deaths were recorded.

Ingestion of L. camara (including unripe berries) was not associated with significant toxicity; patients who ingested unripe berries did not exhibit more-frequent or more-severe symptoms than did patients who ingested ripe berries or other plant parts. Most patients displayed no or minimal symptoms. Children with asymptomatic ingestions and those with mild symptoms can be treated at home.