Signs And Symptoms Of Poisoning From Cassava

After consuming cassava, one may experience symptoms of cassava intoxication or poisoning, including headache, limb pain, abdomen pain, and other symptoms. The culprit is the cyanhydric acid found in cassava, which can lead to poisoning and even poisoning. can even be lethal at big doses if tolerated.

Signs of poisoning from cassava

1. The patient has nausea, headaches, and dizziness

The patient may also experience cyanosis, dilated pupils, convulsions, muscle spasms resembling tetanus, panic, and delayed breathing as symptoms of neurological problems.

The inability of the tissues to use oxygen is one of the signs of cyanhydric acid poisoning. This acid inhibits the function of respiratory enzymes, particularly cytochrome oxidase and Warburg red enzymes. digestive issues include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Nervous conditions include headaches, dizziness, and, in the worst case scenario, convulsions, dilated pupils, and eventually coma. Suffocation, cyanosis, and abrupt respiratory failure are examples of respiratory illnesses that can quickly result in death. Within thirty minutes, the patient will pass away if treatment is not received. On the other hand, with prompt treatment, patients can fully recover without experiencing any aftereffects.

2. Mild poisoning

The symptoms of moderate to mild cassava poisoning include headache, nausea, dizziness, bodily tiredness, and dry throat and nose. After lying down and sipping a cup of hot sugar water, the patient can resume normalcy.

The lethal dose is 1mg/kg body weight. For adults, the toxic dose is 20mg of cyanhydri acid, the fatal dose is 50mg of cyanhydric acid for adults weighing about 50kg, for the elderly, children and infirm people, the dose will be lower.

The toxin found in cassava has the property of being extremely volatile; it dissolves readily in both hot and cold water. It will change into a non-toxic compound when oxidized or mixed with a sugar component. Because of this feature of cassava, you may greatly reduce its harmful level if you know how to treat it properly. The poisonous content is decreased to only 30% after being peeled, steeped in water for a period, boiled, and then chilled. Furthermore, even when taken in large quantities, the poisonous substance will be reduced to a very small amount and rendered inert when processed into cassava flour, chopped into slices and dried.

In summary, cassava is a widely consumed food in our nation, particularly in the rural and hilly regions. Depending on how much cassava was consumed, the severity of the poisoning can range from mild to severe and can cause neurological and respiratory problems, as well as even death in extreme situations. Therefore, it's essential to correctly process cassava to minimize the maximum quantity of toxins in order to prevent poisoning when consuming it.