Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026

Rapid High-throughput Species Identification of Botanical Material Using Direct Analysis in Real Time High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Published on: October 2, 2016
[Peganum harmala L. poisoning in Morocco: about 200 cases]
Sanae Achour1, Naima Rhalem, Asmae Khattabi
1Unité de Toxicologie, Laboratoire Central d'Analyses Médicales, CHU Hassan II et Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de Fès, Maroc. achoursanae@gmail.com
Aim Of The Study:
Peganum harmala L. is commonly used in traditional medicine in Morocco for its sedative and emmenagogue properties but expose to the risk of overdose and poisoning. The aim of our study was to analyze a series of 200 cases of poisoning collected in poison control and pharmacovigilance center of Morocco in order to describe the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic features and outcome of patients and indicate the toxicity of this plant used primarily for therapeutic purposes.
Methods:
This retrospective study performed over a period of twenty four years from January 1984 to December 2008.
Results:
The mean age of patients was 24.4±16.8 years with a female predominance (167 women against 33 men). Therapeutic circumstance was found in 32.5%, followed by suicide (28.5%) and abortion (13.5%). The symptomatology was dominated by neurological, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular signs respectively 34.4%, 31.9 % and 15.8%. The evolution has been specified in 114 cases, 7 deaths have been deplored with a fatality rate of 6.2%.
Related Concept Videos
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Treatment Strategies
Physical Properties of Amines
Toxidromes: Clinical Features
Anticholinesterase Agents: Poisoning and Treatment
Irreversible agents form a strong bond with the cholinesterase enzyme, making it inactive. The breakdown of the phosphorylated enzyme is slower than the...
Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison
