A mixed toxidrome presenting with bilateral ptosis with normal pupils: The first case in the literature

• Main Authors: Sanket Mahajan, Janki Shah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2016-01-01
• Series: Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
• Subjects: Jatropha curcas; normal pupils; ptosis; snake bite
• Online Access: http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2016;volume=5;issue=3;spage=682;epage=684;aulast=Mahajan

Snakebite is an environmental hazard associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. Two main types of toxicity occur due to snakebite, namely vasculotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Neurotoxic snakebites present mainly with bilateral ptosis with dilated pupils and/or difficulty in breathing. Jatropha curcas belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae and is commonly referred to as " Ratanjyot" in Gujarati. It has got many medicinal uses such as anticancerous properties and bio-oil. There are very few cases of its toxicity in adults. Toxicity from it causes meiosis, vomiting, diarrhea, etc., We will hereby discuss one such patient who consumed J. curcas seeds intentionally, became drowsy and accidentally got bit by a snake, and then, the patient started having bilateral ptosis, but with normal-sized pupils. There is no case reported yet in the literature mentioning the combined toxicity of snakebite and J. curcas, so we thought to publish this first case report of its kind in the world, thus discussing its diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment modalities.