[Food poisoning by cucurbitacines].

MEDICAL HISTORY AND CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 66-year-old female patient was admitted to the emergency department following bitter zucchini ingestion. Clinical symptoms were tachycardia, hypotension, somnolence, diarrhea, hematochezia as well as exsiccosis, nausea and emesis.

EXAMINATION AND DIAGNOSIS: Laboratory results showed leukocytosis and signs of exsiccosis. Ultrasound revealed thickening of the sigmoid colon wall, interpretable as acute colitis. Poisoning with cucurbitacin containing zucchini was diagnosed.

THERAPY: The patient improved after intravenous fluid administration. Hemorrhagic colitis with diarrhea was self limiting. After 2 days, the patient was able to eat again.

CONCLUSION

Acute food poisoning due to cucurbitacin - containing pumpkin is rare but can occur in small gardening units in association with higher outside temperatures. Cucurbitacin poisoning has to be taken into account for differential diagnosis in food poisoning. Bitter taste is essential to diagnose cucurbitacin intoxications.