Poison in green potatoes. What is solanine in potatoes, why is it so dangerous? Poison poisoning symptoms, first aid tips

Is potato poisoning possible? Corned beef is a dangerous natural poison that is formed in the potato fruit. Can you eat sprouted potatoes?

Potato poisoning

The potato is one of the most important products in our lives, because it is easy to cook and quite tasty. But few know that it can be dangerous. Do you know cases of potato poisoning? They are infrequent, but can carry serious consequences and even death.

Potato poisoning is due to a dangerous poison - corned beef, which is produced natural way and is contained in any of its fruits.

Can you eat sprouted potatoes? How to protect yourself from poisoning with this product? In this article, we will give you comprehensive answers to these questions.

Poison in potatoes

A little about corned beef

Corned beef is a natural poison that is produced in potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants. It is needed to protect plant shoots from animals.

In large quantities, it damages the central nervous system, erythrocytes and kidneys. It can impede the work of the digestive system and the heart, and also lead to death.

It follows from this that sprouting potatoes for consumption is not allowed. In small quantities, corned beef is almost harmless.

Corned beef in potatoes

Sprouted potatoes contain corned beef

Corned beef is found in any potato, but in small quantities- about 0.05%. Sending such a small dose is impossible. Why is corned beef can adversely affect human health? The answer is simple. The amount of this poison in potatoes increases when exposed to the following factors:

Wrong planting of potatoes. You can not plant it too low in the ground and it is necessary to spud in a timely manner.
Being under excess sunlight more than 3-4 days.
Excess moisture.
Washing potatoes (it is unacceptable to do this long before cooking).
Infection of the fetus with viruses and bacteria.
Mechanical damage to potatoes.

But the largest amount of corned beef is found in sprouted potatoes, which must be planted. In this case, the poison may exceed allowable rate in many times. Such fruits, if consumed, will cause serious harm to human health. Sprouting potatoes is unacceptable.

Inadmissible dose of corned beef

Let us clarify that a person receives a small dose of corned beef when consuming any potato fruit. How much do you need to eat to get poisoned by them?

A life-threatening dose of corned beef is 20 mg. A normal fetus contains about 0.05% of this poison, which reduces the likelihood of poisoning to a minimum.

But green potatoes contain much more toxins. It will be enough just to have dinner with her and food poisoning is guaranteed. So, the most correct decision for such a fruit is to plant it.

Symptoms of potato poisoning

Corned beef is a toxic substance that first affects the digestive system. If you ate sprouted potatoes, then after a few hours the poison will begin to penetrate into the blood.

The following symptoms will occur:

nausea and vomiting;
pupil dilation;
severe shortness of breath;
high body temperature;
bitterness in the mouth;
cramps in the abdomen.

When especially severe poisoning there are problems with the work of the heart and changes arterial pressure. Paralysis and death are possible.

First aid for poisoning

Did a person eat germinated fruits and feel the first symptoms of poisoning? First of all, it is necessary to wash the intestines. This is easily done with a solution of potassium permanganate. But mix it according to the instructions so as not to harm the body. Then it is drunk and neutralizes toxins inside the intestines. Vomiting will appear, which will cleanse the body even better.

Next, you need to take some activated charcoal or any other remedy for poisoning. It is also necessary to drink a laxative in order to quickly get rid of the poison of corned beef. The patient is advised to drink jelly or milk, which are good enveloping drinks.

The above methods can only be used for mild poisoning. In any case, you need to call an ambulance. If necessary, the patient will be transferred to the hospital.

The hospital will use any available funds to remove toxins from the body: they wash the stomach, put droppers, if necessary - hemodialysis. Subsequent treatment is prescribed, which will be aimed at normalizing the work of the kidneys and heart. Short-term use of antibiotics is possible.

Remember that self-medication can harm your body.

Potato dispatch prevention

How to identify quality potatoes

The above tells us that the corned beef in green potatoes is very difficult to get rid of.

How to prevent its occurrence? Observe the following precautions:

If shoots appear on the potato, then they must be immediately removed along with the peel.
Keep fruits in proper conditions. Before you put the potatoes in the cellar, be sure to dry them. Make sure the temperature will be maintained at 2-3 C.
Avoid mechanical damage to the fetus.

If the potatoes are stored too for a long time(more than 8-9 months) and germinates, it is better to simply plant it. But in no case do not give such fruits to animals. They act even worse on them than on humans.

Summing up

Potato poisoning is an infrequent but dangerous thing that can be fatal. It occurs due to corned beef, which is produced in the fetus due to external factors. Green potatoes should be planted, not eaten. If you properly store potatoes and get rid of them in a timely manner, then you will protect your health from this disease.

Potatoes are dangerous for the human body. What is the reason? Why can you get poisoned by one of the most popular vegetables?

Source: https://otravleno.ru/otravlenie-produktami/otravlenie-kartofelem.html

Potato poisoning - symptoms, first aid, treatment, consequences

Potato is one of the most popular cultivated plants in many peoples of the world. Potato tubers due to high nutritional value are of great importance for all mankind, and the population of Russia considers them "second bread".

Potatoes can make hundreds variety of dishes. But this is also useful product nutrition. It contains B vitamins and ascorbic acid, as well as valuable inorganic and organic compounds.

Starch obtained from potato tubers is widely used in food and other industries.

Few people think about how popular product may be hazardous to health.

Source: depositphotos.com

How does potato poisoning happen?

All plants of the nightshade family, which include potatoes, contain a poisonous substance called solanine. Solanine is a glycoside (glycoalcoholoid) that has a chemical affinity for steroids.

The toxic dose of solanine for humans is 200–400 mg.

It contains about 0.05% in fresh potato tubers - in order for clinical symptoms of poisoning to appear, an adult must eat about three kilograms of potatoes at a time.

But if the potato is stored in the light, then more and more solanine gradually accumulates in it. Closer to spring, in such potatoes, the concentration of a toxic substance reaches 100-150 mg for every 100 grams of the product.

Even after cleaning, during which up to 80% of solanine is removed along with the peel, the content of the poison still remains high.

In this case, the portion mashed potatoes or fried potatoes can lead to poisoning.

Solanine has a depressant effect on the nervous system. In addition, it causes damage to the cell wall of erythritis, which leads to their destruction (hemolysis).

With hemolysis, the blood supply in the renal vascular system is disturbed, the epithelium of the tubules is damaged and they become blocked with hemolytic products, which ultimately leads to the development of prerenal acute renal failure.

Solanine has the ability to accumulate in the human body, causing chronic potato poisoning. It is manifested by damage to the articular apparatus and an increased risk of developing malignant neoplasms.

Symptoms of poisoning

The symptoms of acute potato poisoning are similar to those of any other food poisoning. These include:

spasmodic abdominal pain;
nausea;
vomit;
severe weakness;
diarrhea, in which feces acquire a fetid odor.

Solanine has a pronounced bitter taste, so potato poisoning is often accompanied by a burning sensation and bitterness in the mouth.

Neurological disorders in solanine poisoning are manifested by dilated pupils, increased salivation, superficial non-rhythmic breathing, arrhythmia, convulsions. If the victim is not urgently assisted, he may lose consciousness, and then fall into a coma.

Chronic potato poisoning is manifested by frequent headaches, drowsiness, skin itching, stomatitis, joint pain. The suppression of immunity, characteristic of this type of intoxication, can give impetus to the development of malignant tumors.

Source: depositphotos.com

First aid for potato poisoning

When the first signs of acute potato poisoning appear, first of all, the stomach should be washed.

This allows you to remove the poison that has got into it from the body and thereby reduce the severity of poisoning, prevent the development of complications.

To wash the stomach, the patient is given to drink about a liter of salted water, and then they cause him to vomit, irritating the root of the tongue. The procedure is repeated several times.

Then you should accept any medicinal product with absorbent action. It can be Smecta, Activated carbon or Polysorb MP.

The next step should be rehydration - drinking plenty of water in order to eliminate dehydration. The patient can be given normal or mineral water without gas, weak tea without sugar, Pedithral or Regidron solution. You need to drink very often, but in small sips, so as not to provoke vomiting.

If signs of chronic potato poisoning are found, it is necessary to consult a doctor, first aid measures in this case are ineffective.

When is medical attention needed?

If after providing first aid to the victim does not feel better, you should definitely consult a doctor. Medical assistance is also needed when potato poisoning has occurred in a pregnant woman, child or elderly person.

Treatment is carried out in the conditions of the department of toxicology. There is no specific antidote to solanine, therefore, only symptomatic treatment is carried out, that is, aimed at eliminating the symptoms of poisoning, and not at its cause. Detoxification therapy is prescribed, the introduction of vitamins and clinical nutrition are indicated.

Possible consequences

In severe potato poisoning against the background of massive hemolysis, the patient may develop acute renal failure. This is a very dangerous complication that can lead to the formation of chronic renal failure, and in severe cases, to death.

Neurological complications leading to respiratory failure often contribute to the onset of pneumonia, which requires additional treatment.

Prevention

Immediately after the ripening of potatoes, the content of solanine in its tubers is minimal, but by spring its concentration increases sharply, especially under the influence of sun rays. Therefore, to prevent potato poisoning, it is recommended to follow the rule: before the New Year, potatoes can be eaten without restrictions, and then reduce its presence in the diet.

In the spring, it is worth giving up fried and baked potatoes, puree, potato pies and add potatoes only to the first dishes. At the same time, it is important to remove all eyes, greenish areas during cleaning, and cut off the skin in a thick layer.

After cleaning, it is advisable to soak the tubers either in a weak solution of vinegar or in salt water, this contributes to the destruction of solanine and reduces the risk of poisoning.

Potatoes should be stored without access to light, which reduces the formation of solanine in it. If the surface of the tuber is more than a quarter green, then it is strictly forbidden to use it for food. Such potatoes cannot be used in animal nutrition.

Now on sale there are varieties of potatoes with a low content of solanine. For cultivation on a personal plot, preference should be given to precisely these developments of breeders.

from the topic of the article:

Elena MinkinaAnesthesiologist-resuscitator About the author

Education: graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute with a degree in General Medicine in 1991. Repeatedly attended refresher courses.

Work experience: anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the city maternity complex, resuscitator of the hemodialysis department.

The information is generalized and is provided for informational purposes only. Seek medical attention at the first sign of illness. Self-medication is dangerous to health!

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Poison solanine or is it possible to eat green potatoes?

The poisonous properties of green sprouted potatoes are written in every school textbook on botany, but solanine poisoning occurs with surprising regularity.

This comes from the carelessness of choosing potatoes in the store, when it is visually noticeable that there were sprouts on the flabby tubers, but they were broken off during packaging.

Or there are one or two green spots on the skin of the tubers, but a person believes that if they sell, then you can eat.

Or poisoning with old potatoes from the pantry happens in the spring because, in order to save money, the skin of the root crops is not removed thick enough, and the eyes that gave small sprouts are not cut out neatly enough.

How to prevent solanine poisoning? Do not eat unripe, overripe fruits of the Solanaceae genus: peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and green potatoes, where long-term storage toxic solanine is formed and accumulated.

In addition, it is necessary to exclude damaged (crumpled, rotten, blackened) root crops and vegetables from the diet, since they always contain much more poison than in whole, with a strong, smooth skin, products.

What is known about the toxicity of solanine

Solanine is a poison formed in flowers, sprouts, foliage, roots of nightshade plants to prevent their destruction by various pests.

What safe rate consumption for a person is from 2 to 10 mg (per 100 g of products).

Constant excess of the norm leads to the accumulation of a toxic substance in the body, signs of food poisoning appear.

Long-term or single intake of more than 200 mg causes an instant rejection reaction: vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions and even confusion, as the poison destroys the nervous system.

Sprouted and green potatoes are unsuitable for food

Plants in which the content of the alkaloid solanine can exceed the norm many times over:

overripe blue-skinned eggplants;
green potatoes and sprouts;
unripe sweet pepper;
Bay leaf;
nightshade;
tobacco;
henbane;
dope;
Lots of green tomatoes.

In potatoes, the distribution of the alkaloid is uneven; in each part of the plant, solanine exists in different quantities. In addition, the degree of toxicity of root crops depends on many other factors: varieties, agricultural practices, storage time and conditions.

Why vegetables become poisonous

The saying "Every vegetable has its time" most of all reflects qualitative indicators potatoes. The reasons for the excess formation of solanine are diverse:

green potatoes are obtained with a shallow planting, and also if they are not spudded in time (until the tops have grown);
during transportation and storage in a place unprotected from light, it often happens that the potatoes turn green after 4-5 days;
washed root crops turn green faster and contain more poisonous substance;
the alkaloid solanine is more actively formed inside tubers infected with diseases and pests, as well as with a surface injured during digging and processing;
the higher the concentration of mineral synthesized fertilizers applied under potatoes, the more toxin subsequently accumulates;
the level of solanine in potatoes is high during the growing season (germination, immaturity of young tubers). Then decreases during maturation, dangerously increases again after 6 months of storage.

Tomatoes and unripe peppers are also different great content alkaloids as long as they are a clear green hue, but once the fruits reach milky ripeness, they can be preserved, as the level of toxicity drops sharply.

Eggplants become poisonous when they are overripe. High danger is the consumption of peel and seeds of these vegetables.

What threatens with alkaloid poisoning

Is it possible to eat unpeeled boiled green potatoes in small quantities? The unequivocal answer to this question is no. The poison is sparingly soluble, so most of it remains under the skin after boiling.

After the penetration of solanine into the stomach and intestines, indigestion begins, the entry of toxins into blood vessels. This leads to the destruction of red blood cells, inhibition of the functions of the nervous system.
Prolonged poisoning with solanine leads to damage to the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, liver, joints, as well as difficult-to-treat dermatitis of the skin.
Boiled potatoes without peel are partially released from the poison, but the broth becomes highly toxic. If the potatoes even turn a little green, heat treatment does not guarantee the destruction of solanine, so it is better to refuse to use it not only for people, but also for pets.
Dishes from overwintered flabby potatoes should not be eaten by pregnant women and babies, since alkaloids can cause severe pathologies in the development of the child.

In addition, it is very dangerous for human health and potato juice, pressed from the root crops of last year's harvest in spring and summer, since it is poisonous due to the high concentration of not only solanine, but also nitrates.

Symptoms

The initial signs of solanine alkaloid poisoning practically do not differ from the features food poisoning caused by other poisons. If you accidentally eat green potatoes (tomatoes, peppers), where the solanine norm exceeds 200-400 mg, in large quantities, almost immediately, after 3-4 hours (or after 8-9 hours), the following symptoms will appear:

acute pain and cramps in the stomach, intestines,
vomiting, salivation,
increase in body temperature,
dyspnea,
pain in the head,
tachycardia, arrhythmia,
diarrhea with painful urging and offensive stools,
the pupils of the eyes dilate.

On cooking or frying, solanine does not destroy

A high degree of intoxication is expressed by the occurrence of convulsions, confusion, and even loss of consciousness, respiratory depression.

After eating foods containing more than 10 mg of solanine (per 100 g), a bitter aftertaste will remain in the mouth, and itching and itching will form in the larynx.

The lethal dose for a child is a one-time intake of solanine from sprouted (or green) potato peelings from 2 to 4 mg. glycoalkaloid per kilogram of body weight. For an adult - up to 3 to 6 mg. solanine.

Urgent care

Neither boiling water during boiling, nor overcooking the product in a pan prevents the action of the poison, therefore, the skin from old (9-12 months of storage) root crops must be peeled in spring and summer, and the green potatoes should be completely discarded. What to do if symptoms of poisoning appear?

Call a doctor immediately. The sooner it is provided health care, the more favorable the prognosis;
Rinse the stomach with 5 - 6 liters of water, two (three) of which with the addition of potassium permanganate;
Can be used to cleanse the stomach sea salt(for 5 liters of water 2 tablespoons);
Make a cleansing enema;
Take Smecta, Enterosgel, Activated charcoal, Polysorb, other absorbent (adsorbent) drugs recommended by doctors for use in case of poisoning.

If symptoms of solanine poisoning appear (cardiac, pulmonary insufficiency), you need to be prepared to carry out resuscitation.

Prevention

You can not cook food from sprouted, rotten, blue, green potatoes - it contains a lot of solanine. Even healthy root crops at the end of the storage season (spring, early summer) are best boiled, after removing the skin in a thick layer (not less than 0.5 cm), since it is in it that the alkaloid content is highest.

How to test fruits for excess solanine:

make small indentations near the eyes (1mm),
apply 1 drop to slices acetic acid (80%),
drop a drop of sulfuric acid
apply hydrogen peroxide on top (3 drops of a 5% solution).

If there is an excess of solanine in the tuber, the potato slice will acquire a dark raspberry (burgundy) hue. Weak intensity of staining (became a pale pink color) indicates the norm of its content.

It is important to know: the longer the potatoes are stored, besides, they turn green, the more toxins are in the tubers.

Greenish potatoes, as well as with sprouts, cannot be eaten categorically, but they are better suited for planting, because high concentration solanine protects root crops from diseases, they are not eaten by pests.

AT recent times on the Internet you can find many articles warning about the dangers of green or sprouted potatoes. It turns out that it contains a dangerous poison - solanine, which can provoke poisoning in people.

But it is unlikely that any of us can remember the real story of potato poisoning, although they eat it very often in our country. Therefore, it is so important to understand what solanine is and whether eating potatoes threatens us with diseases.

Solanine is one of the many plant poisons. It is found in nightshade plants and is used by them as a protective agent against insects and fungi.

The insecticidal and fungicidal properties of this substance are used even in modern medicine and agronomy. It is used for the production of medicines, in particular for herpes, as well as for the control of agricultural pests, such as aphids.

Solanine is a glycoalkaloid that contains glucose and solanoidin. AT pure form These are crystals that are insoluble in water, but readily soluble in alcohol.

It is found in all parts of plants of the nightshade family, but is distributed unevenly. Most of this substance in the fruits of black nightshade. From agricultural plants, it is found in immature tomatoes, peel, potato fruits. There is little of it in root crops and tubers.

In addition to the plants already mentioned, solanine can be found in sweet peppers and tobacco, dope, henbane and bay leaves.

Not all plants containing solanine are dangerous. For example, henbane, in addition to solanine, also contains the strongest alkaloid atropine, so all parts of the plant are poisonous. And you can get poisoned in potatoes by tasting green fruits. Eggplants become dangerous when overripe. The amount of solanine in potato tubers also increases if they are allowed to turn green or germinate.

Fans of spreading sensational statements about the mortal danger of overgrown potatoes should be aware that not a single solanine poisoning from this product has yet been recorded in medicine.

We are talking not only about dangerous cases, but even about the smallest ailments that would require a visit to a doctor. This is due to the fact that a high concentration of poison is observed precisely in the peel - green or with sprouts, and no one eats it.

To get a slight (tangible) poisoning, you need to eat 20 mg of pure solanine, and in a ripe potato it contains only 0.05%.

To get a lethal outcome, 200-400 mg of the toxin will be required. By mathematical calculations, inputs can be made that for serious poisoning, you will have to eat about 2-4 kilograms of untreated raw potatoes. Since the peel contains approximately 80% of the total substance, poisoning with fresh peeled potatoes is unrealistic.

Boiling reduces the concentration of the toxin, but does not neutralize it. Solanine decomposes at a temperature of at least 250⁰ C. This means that cooking can slightly reduce its amount only by boiling.

To increase the content of the toxin, the tubers must be stored in the light long enough for them to acquire a characteristic green color.This will increase the content of solanine in them to 500 mg per 100 g of product.

You can already get poisoned with such potatoes, but you will have to eat it along with the peel. After cleaning, the amount of poison will decrease, but theoretically the probability of poisoning will remain. Therefore, you should not cook green potatoes.

Green potatoes often have an unpleasant bitter taste, so eating them is unpleasant. This greatly reduces the risk of poisoning.

Solanine negatively affects the human nervous system, depressing it. It can also destroy red blood cells and disrupt digestion. The poison is excreted through the kidneys, so it negatively affects them. The skin also suffers. This is especially noticeable in chronic poisoning.

Solanine is slowly excreted from the body. Small doses gradually disappear without a trace. But if you regularly get it with food, chronic intoxication may occur.

The action of solanine is manifested in contact with tissues. Therefore, the gastrointestinal tract suffers first. After consumption dangerous dose toxin occurs sore throat, nausea causing vomiting, painful abdominal cramps, diarrhea. A characteristic symptom is bitterness in the mouth.

After about 2 hours, the toxin enters the bloodstream, provoking the appearance of new symptoms. The cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous and urinary systems are affected. Therefore, the victim feels difficulty breathing, weakness and dizziness. This reduces urination, and laboratory analysis may show the presence of protein in the urine due to the destruction of red blood cells.

Severe solanine poisoning causes palpitations and a decrease in blood pressure, slowing the heart rate. The victim may begin to twitch muscles, which in difficult situations turn into convulsions. Death can come from the failure of the respiratory center.

When the first symptoms appear, it is necessary to immediately wash the stomach to remove the remains of the poison from it. This can be done with plain water or suspension.

Also, a laxative to remove toxin from the intestines will not hurt. Then you can take any enterosorbent and drink enveloping drinks. It will also be useful to drink acidified with acetic acid, which neutralizes the poison.

In parallel with the provision of first aid, it is necessary to call doctors or take the victim to the hospital on your own.

The hospital also performs gastric lavage. In addition, stimulation of diuresis, intravenous administration of solutions for blood purification, and hemosorption can be prescribed. In the most difficult situations, hemodialysis may be required. Also, doctors conduct symptomatic therapy.

How to prevent solanine poisoning

Solanine poisoning is rare, so it can be assumed that it is very easy to prevent them.

For this you need:

If you are harvesting a lot of potatoes for the winter, it is important to store them properly. Harvest should be well dried and stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place. In heat and dampness, the tubers begin to germinate, and this significantly increases the content of solanine in them.

If you follow all the safety rules, it will be almost impossible to get poisoned with solanine. And eating fresh and properly cooked potatoes does not threaten absolutely anything.

There are many concerns about solanine poisoning from potatoes, but at the same time, little information can be found on the net about this. There are conflicting opinions, for example, on the effectiveness of neutralizing the poison by heat treatment of potatoes. And some give advice on the forums on medicinal use toxin.

Let's find out what solanine is, are there cases of poisoning with it in humans? What fruits contain it, what is the level of toxicity? We will also analyze the methods of neutralizing the poison, the symptoms of poisoning, the treatment and prevention of poisoning. First, let's look at what solanine is.

What kind of poison is solanine

Solanine is a natural poison plant origin. It consists of glucose and solanoidin. The structure of matter is represented by crystals. It is practically insoluble in water, but is readily diluted with alcohol. Solanine is found in members of the nightshade family.

Solanine is found in all parts of the plant, least of all in root crops. It is found in potatoes, the peel of ripe eggplants, and in unripe tomatoes. Very little toxin is found in ripe potatoes when proper storage up to 3 months. Six months later, the amount of solanine begins to increase in the tubers and more of it is found in green sprouted potatoes.

Is it possible to get poisoned by solanine

Theoretically, the likelihood of intoxication with solanine appears if you eat boiled sprouted potatoes with peel, green potato stonecrops, unripe tomato, unpeeled eggplant. But since practically no one does this, therefore, not a single case of solanine poisoning from potatoes and other root crops has been recorded.

Poisoning by toxin from other sources, especially berries from potato tops, green nightshade - this is more likely due to the high concentration of poison in them.

Toxic dose

Ripe potatoes contain only 0.05% solanine. But in old, green, sprouted potatoes, its concentration increases markedly.

To earn mild poisoning, it is enough to eat 20 mg of solanine contained in green potatoes, especially sprouted ones.

Entry into the blood of 200-400 mg of poison leads to death. And since the absorption of the toxin is not complete, in order to cause such a content of the toxin in the blood, even more solanine must enter the intestines. But eating so much solanine is quite problematic.

Symptoms of solanine poisoning

The mechanism of action of solanine is associated with a direct toxic effect on tissues in direct contact with them - the digestive system will suffer first. The use of a toxic dose will manifest itself:

nausea;
vomiting;
liquid stool;
spastic pains in the abdomen;
a feeling of bitterness in the mouth;
sore throat.

On average, 2 hours after eating nightshade, solanine enters the bloodstream. Due to this, there are signs of a toxic effect on the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, urinary systems. There is difficulty in breathing, general weakness, lethargy, headaches, dizziness, decreased urination, protein appears in the urine, part of which is hemoglobin.

With severe solanine poisoning, symptoms appear:

Under the action of the poison, red blood cells are destroyed, muscle twitching begins, which turns into convulsions. They are followed by paresis, paralysis. Death occurs from the cessation of the respiratory center.

Giving help

First aid for solanine poisoning is to free the intestines from the poison. To do this, the stomach is washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then give Activated carbon or other drugs from the group of sorbents. It is recommended to drink enveloping drinks: jelly, milk, egg white. Give laxatives, astringents (tannin, oak bark). All this is done at an early stage if intoxication is suspected in the shortest possible time. Then you need to call an ambulance.

In case of severe poisoning, treatment should be carried out in a hospital.

In the hospital, in this case, efforts are made to remove the poison from the intestines and blood by all accessible ways. The gastric lavage is repeated, stimulation of diuresis is prescribed, solutions are administered intravenously-drip, hemosorption is carried out, if necessary, hemodialysis. Symptomatic treatment is prescribed, aimed at maintaining normal breathing, heart and kidney function. In seriously ill patients, antibiotics are used to prevent infectious complications.

Prevention of solanine poisoning

Solanine at heat treatment it is destroyed only after heating over 250⁰ C. That is, boiling and even frying (the boiling point of oil does not exceed 180⁰ C) does not destroy the natural toxin. What to do?

Sprouted potatoes are not recommended.
If green areas appear on the tubers, they must be cut off along with the peel.
It is important to know how to properly store potatoes. Before wintering, the dug up crop is well dried and kept in a cellar, basement or other place. It is important that it be cool, dry, ventilation works - the tubers begin to deteriorate in heat and dampness. When conditions for germination are created, the amount of solanine in such root crops increases greatly. Potatoes are stored in boxes 1.5 meters high at a temperature of 2-3⁰ C, humidity not more than 90%.
Solanine in eggplants will be relieved by peeling vegetables.
Unripe tomatoes can only be used for pickling (acetic acid neutralizes the poison).

Summing up

So, solanine is a complex plant poison found in the nightshade family. The toxin is resistant to temperature effects, therefore, during the heat treatment of products at home, it is not destroyed. FROM therapeutic purpose now the toxin is not used. Only 20 mg of poison is enough to cause symptoms of poisoning. Therefore, you should not listen to the advice of those who like to be treated unconventionally and take it for the sake of an imaginary recovery.

Intoxication often occurs not from vegetables, but when consumed. green berries or other parts of the plant where the level of poison is high. Symptoms of poisoning develop gradually, which is associated with the absorption of solanine. Neutralize poison sour drinks and to a certain extent a weak solution of potassium permanganate, which helps in the treatment of such poisoning. Otherwise, the treatment does not differ from the general algorithm of actions for intoxication.

The poisonous properties of green sprouted potatoes are written in every school textbook on botany, but solanine poisoning occurs with surprising regularity.

This comes from the carelessness of choosing potatoes in the store, when it is visually noticeable that there were sprouts on the flabby tubers, but they were broken off during packaging. Or there are one or two green spots on the skin of the tubers, but a person believes that if they sell, then you can eat. Or poisoning with old potatoes from the pantry happens in the spring because, in order to save money, the skin of the root crops is not removed thick enough, and the eyes that gave small sprouts are not cut out neatly enough.

How to prevent solanine poisoning? Do not eat unripe, overripe fruits of the Solanaceae genus: peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and green potatoes, where toxic solanine is formed and accumulated during long-term storage.

What is known about the toxicity of solanine

Solanine is a poison formed in flowers, sprouts, foliage, roots of nightshade plants to prevent their destruction by various pests.

What is a safe intake for a person is from 2 to 10 mg (per 100 g of products). Constant excess of the norm leads to the accumulation of a toxic substance in the body, signs of food poisoning appear. Long-term or single intake of more than 200 mg causes an instant rejection reaction: vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions and even confusion, as the poison destroys the nervous system.

Plants in which the content of the alkaloid solanine can exceed the norm many times over:

overripe blue-skinned eggplants;
green potatoes and sprouts;
unripe sweet pepper;
Bay leaf;
nightshade;
tobacco;
henbane;
dope;
Lots of green tomatoes.

In potatoes, the distribution of the alkaloid is uneven; in each part of the plant, solanine exists in different quantities. In addition, the degree of toxicity of root crops depends on many other factors: varieties, agricultural practices, storage time and conditions.

Why vegetables become poisonous

The saying “Every vegetable has its time” most of all reflects the quality indicators of potatoes. The reasons for the excess formation of solanine are diverse:

green potatoes are obtained with a shallow planting, and also if they are not spudded in time (until the tops have grown);
during transportation and storage in a place unprotected from light, it often happens that the potatoes turn green after 4-5 days;
washed root crops turn green faster and contain more poisonous substance;
the alkaloid solanine is more actively formed inside tubers infected with diseases and pests, as well as with a surface injured during digging and processing;
the higher the concentration of mineral synthesized fertilizers applied under potatoes, the more toxin subsequently accumulates;
the level of solanine in potatoes is high during the growing season (germination, immaturity of young tubers). Then decreases during maturation, dangerously increases again after 6 months of storage.

Tomatoes and unripe peppers are also high in alkaloids as long as they are a clear green hue, but once the fruits reach milky ripeness, they can be canned, as the level of toxicity drops sharply.

Eggplants become poisonous when they are overripe. High danger is the consumption of peel and seeds of these vegetables.

What threatens with alkaloid poisoning

After the penetration of solanine into the stomach and intestines, indigestion begins, the entry of toxins into the blood vessels. This leads to the destruction of red blood cells, inhibition of the functions of the nervous system.
Prolonged poisoning with solanine leads to damage to the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, liver, joints, as well as difficult-to-treat dermatitis of the skin.
Boiled potatoes without peel are partially released from the poison, but the broth becomes highly toxic. If the potatoes even turn a little green, heat treatment does not guarantee the destruction of solanine, so it is better to refuse to use it not only for people, but also for pets.
Dishes from overwintered flabby potatoes should not be eaten by pregnant women and babies, since alkaloids can cause severe pathologies in the development of the child.

In addition, potato juice squeezed from last year's root crops in spring and summer is also very dangerous for human health, since it is poisonous due to the high concentration of not only solanine, but also nitrates.

Symptoms

The initial signs of solanine alkaloid poisoning practically do not differ from the characteristics of food poisoning caused by other poisons. If you accidentally eat green potatoes (tomatoes, peppers), where the solanine norm exceeds 200-400 mg, in large quantities, almost immediately, after 3-4 hours (or after 8-9 hours), the following symptoms will appear:

acute pain and cramps in the stomach, intestines,
vomiting, salivation,
increase in body temperature,
dyspnea,
pain in the head,
tachycardia, arrhythmia,
diarrhea with painful urging and offensive stools,
the pupils of the eyes dilate.

A high degree of intoxication is expressed by the occurrence of convulsions, confusion, and even loss of consciousness, respiratory depression.

After eating foods containing more than 10 mg of solanine (per 100 g), a bitter aftertaste will remain in the mouth, and itching and itching will form in the larynx.

The lethal dose for a child is a one-time intake of solanine from sprouted (or green) potato peelings from 2 to 4 mg. glycoalkaloid per kilogram of body weight. For an adult - up to 3 to 6 mg. solanine.

Urgent care

Call a doctor immediately. The sooner medical care is provided, the better the prognosis;
Rinse the stomach with 5 - 6 liters of water, two (three) of which with the addition of potassium permanganate;
It is possible to use a solution of sea salt to cleanse the stomach (2 tablespoons per 5 liters of water);
Make a cleansing enema;
Take Smecta, Enterosgel, Activated charcoal, Polysorb, other absorbent (adsorbent) drugs recommended by doctors for use in case of poisoning.

If symptoms of solanine poisoning appear (cardiac, pulmonary insufficiency), you need to be prepared to carry out resuscitation.

Prevention

How to test fruits for excess solanine:

make small indentations near the eyes (1mm),
apply 1 drop of acetic acid (80%) to the sections,
drop a drop of sulfuric acid
apply hydrogen peroxide on top (3 drops of a 5% solution).

If there is an excess of solanine in the tuber, the potato slice will acquire a dark raspberry (burgundy) hue. Weak intensity of staining (became a pale pink color) indicates the norm of its content.

It is important to know: the longer the potatoes are stored, besides, they turn green, the more toxins are in the tubers.

Greenish potatoes, as well as with sprouts, cannot be eaten categorically, but they are better suited for planting, since a high concentration of solanine protects root crops from diseases, they are not eaten by pests.

The organic compound solanine is a glycoalkaloid (glycoside) related to steroids, which is produced by plants belonging to the nightshade family. Is a contaminant, that is, polluting food products substance that has negative impact on the human body. It can pose a serious threat to human health and life.

Solanaceae are a family of plants that contain the poisonous substance solanine in their tissues. Despite this, many members of this family are eaten by humans.

Nightshades include:

potato;
eggplant;
tobacco;
tomato;
vegetable pepper;
capsicum;
Boxthorn;
bittersweet nightshade;
nightshade black.

Solanine in nightshade can be found in any part of the plant:

fruits;
leaves;
stems;
tubers, etc.

Therefore, it is important to know which parts of the plant are edible and which are dangerous and can be harmful to health.

The maximum content of solanine is found in the immature berries of a plant called black nightshade, and it is also found in high concentrations in all parts of bittersweet nightshade. Nevertheless, black nightshade is eaten. It is enough just to make sure that the berries are fully ripe.

Potatoes, which are eaten by humans, also contain poisonous solanine. Approximately 0.05% of this dangerous substance can be found in potato tubers. A significant increase in the content of solanine in the tuber occurs when it germinates and acquires a green color. Most of the hazardous substance is found in the peel and sprouts.

Solanine is also found in tomatoes, namely in unripe, green fruits. It is safe to eat unripe tomatoes only after the tomato fruit grows to the size that is characteristic of this variety and begins to lighten, acquiring a white or pinkish tint. A change in color indicates that the solanine content is decreasing.

Solanine toxicity

The formation of solanine in plants is justified by the need to fight insects. This substance is a natural fungicide ( chemical, which kills fungi) and an insecticide (a substance that can kill insects), protecting plants from pests.

Solanine is also dangerous for humans and animals. For example, even a small piece of eggplant can cause poisoning in cats. It acts on the nervous system, causing excitation and then inhibition of its activity. Under its influence, the destruction of red blood cells can occur.

Doses of 2-5 mg/kg of body weight lead to intoxication and the appearance of symptoms of poisoning, and doses of 3-6 mg/kg can lead to death.

Solanine is especially dangerous for children who, unknowingly, can eat fruits containing poison (nightshade or potatoes). Due to the small body weight, the dose in this case may be critical even with the use of only a few berries. It is necessary to limit children younger age in the use of eggplant, since it is children's body may not be able to handle large quantity alkaloid, which will lead to solanine poisoning.

Symptoms of poisoning and first aid

Most plant poisons have similar symptoms. How quickly signs of poisoning appear and how strongly they will be expressed depends on the characteristics of the body of a particular person. Most often, symptoms begin to appear after a few hours.

The first signs of poisoning are:

nausea;
sharp pains and cramps in the stomach;
discomfort and pain in the intestines.

In the future, intoxication will manifest itself as a more serious violation of the gastrointestinal tract:

stool disorder;
vomit;
increased pain;

effects on the nervous and cardiovascular system expressed in:

In case of severe poisoning, convulsions and coma are possible.

At the first suspicion of poisoning, it is necessary to call the medical service and provide first aid to the victim. The first pre-medical solanine is gastric lavage with plenty of water, taking sorbents (such as activated charcoal and its analogues).

Further treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a physician. In a medical institution, doctors will be able to assess the degree of intoxication of the body and prescribe appropriate therapy.

The main therapeutic measures in case of solanine poisoning will be aimed at removing the poisonous substance from the body, restoring the functions of organs affected by the poison, and supporting therapy.

Precautionary measures

Plants that are eaten often contain certain chemical compounds that can harm the body. A person has long learned to determine their presence and even get rid of the toxic effect of a substance or reduce the harm caused by it. For this, most often you do not need to resort to the help of special reagents.

Solanine is not destroyed during cooking, but is able to go into solution. It is necessary to remember in which parts of the plant it is located and what signs indicate its high concentrations.

The main amount of solanine is found in the peel of the potato and the root layer directly under the skin. Cleaning reduces the amount of poisonous substance to safe concentrations. This is especially true for old sprouted potatoes and tubers that have turned green. Cutting off green areas is a must.

And although the dose of a toxic substance, even in green tubers, is quite small, the use a large number sprouted and green potatoes can harm, for example, a child or a weakened body.

There are recipes that use unripe green tomatoes. It is important to remember what to use in cooking better tomatoes, the color of which began to lighten and from pure green to become pinkish or white. A method of preparation using soaking in saline solution additionally leads to a decrease in the content of solanine. The content of a hazardous substance in such tomatoes is not dangerous for healthy body adult person.

Overripe eggplants that have not been removed from the branch for a long time can accumulate a dangerous substance in themselves. Insufficient watering can contribute to a more active accumulation of solanine in eggplant. For cooking, it is better to choose fruits with a shiny, evenly colored skin. Eggplant flesh should be white when cut and should not change color when exposed to air. The taste of the vegetable should not be bitter.

If the fruit is old, the surface of its peel has lost its luster and is uneven in color, and on the cut the flesh begins to turn brown over time, then the content of solanine in it can be dangerous and lead to eggplant poisoning. Symptoms of such intoxication, most likely, will be a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract.

You can get rid of an undesirable substance by keeping finely chopped eggplants for a while in salt water. This method eliminates the bitter taste of eggplant and reduces the concentration of a dangerous alkaloid.

Is it possible to get poisoned by eggplant, potatoes, green tomatoes given that all these plants contain solanine? Most likely not, since in those parts of plants that are usually eaten, it is not so much.

Application in traditional medicine

There is an opinion that solanine has healing properties. How the substance will affect the body, whether solanine will benefit or harm, depends on the dosage of the drug. An agent derived from plants containing this substance can be used as:

painkiller;
diuretic;
anti-inflammatory;
antiallergic;
antispasmodic;
wound healing agent.

It is believed that a tincture containing solanine can also:

suppress the vital activity of viruses and fungi;
inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus;
contribute to the cure of cancerous tumors;
help in the treatment of stomach ulcers;
cure liver pathology;
treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
help in the treatment of tuberculosis and diabetes;
have a general rejuvenating effect on the body.

However, even proponents of this treatment point out that the drug, derived mainly from potatoes, can act as a powerful poison if taken uncontrolled.