Severe metabolic acidosis and "muti" (traditional herbal medicine) ingestion in young children.

Twenty infants and young children admitted with severe metabolic acidosis and a positive history of 'muti' ingestion were investigated. All had accompanying gastroenteritis and significant dehydration. Biochemical data was diagnostic of high anion/gap metabolic acidosis in the majority (70 per cent). Further biochemical data indicated that lactic acidosis and pre-renal azotaemia resulting from severe hypovolaemia were likely causes of the high anion GAP metabolic acidosis. There was no evidence to suggest that the ingested muti per se was associated directly with the acidosis or acute renal failure seen in these children.