Death Camas

Aka: Death Camas, Mountain Camas, Meadow Death Camas, Toxicoscordion Venonosum, Zigadenus Poisoning

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II. Background

  1. Flowering plant in the family Melanthiaceae, that grows in the western United States and Canada
  2. Similar appearance to wild onions (as well as blue camas, mariposa lily) results in Acute Poisonings
    1. Toxins (including the alkaloid zygacine) are stable in drying, prolonged storage and heat (not degraded by cooking)
    2. Bulbs are the most toxic portions of the plant (although the seeds and nectar are also toxic)
      1. Two bulbs may be the lethal dose in adults
    3. May also kill grazing livestock (esp. sheep)

III. Symptoms

  1. Symptom onset 2 hours after ingestion
    1. Cholinergic Toxicity
    2. May begin with oral symptoms (lip numbness, mouth watering)
  2. Gastrointestinal
    1. Nausea and Vomiting
  3. Cardiovascular
    1. Cardiac conduction delay
    2. Bradycardia
    3. Hypotension
  4. Neurotoxicity
    1. Ataxia
    2. Seizures
    3. Coma

IV. Management

  1. Consult poison control
  2. ABC Management
  3. Supportive Care
    1. Intravenous Fluids
    2. Antiemetics
    3. Vasopressors (for refractory Hypotension)
    4. Atropine (for Bradycardia)
  4. Other Anticholinergic Agents
    1. Glycopyrrolate

V. Resources

  1. Toxicoscordion venenosum (Wikipedia)
    1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicoscordion_venenosum

VI. References

  1. Cardy, Cohen, Padrez and Nordt (2024) Poisoned Family, EM:Rap, 6/17/2024

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