Health Drink Poisoning – An Unusual Case of Bottle Gourd Toxicity

Abstract

Bottle gourd, popularly known as “Lauki,” is a commonly used vegetable throughout the world including India. Its juice is considered a “health tonic” for chronic ailments by practitioners of alternate therapy and nutritionist. It is essential for emergency physicians to be aware of this toxicity, especially in tropical countries like India, where alternate therapy practices are prevalent. We present the case of a 35-year-old man who consumed concentrated bottle gourd juice and subsequently experienced multiple episodes of vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and giddiness. The patient was resuscitated and stabilized with crystalloid fluids, proton-pump inhibitors, and antiemetics, and admitted to the critical care unit. The patient was discharged in stable condition after 4 days of hospitalization. Bottle gourd toxicity treatment is symptomatic, and there is no specific antidote for this toxicity. It is important to early diagnose bottle gourd toxicity, especially in countries where it is commonly used as a health tonic.