A case report reveals successful treatment of colchicine poisoning in a 58-year-old man, indicating the need for rapid diagnosis and specific therapies.
We report the case of a 58-year-old man who experienced moderate renal and liver impairment after accidental poisoning with Colchicum autumnale, which he confused with wild garlic (Allium ursinum). Colchicum autumnale contains colchicine, a toxic compound that disrupts cell division. The patient received intensive care therapy, intravenous lipid emulsion, vitamin K supplementation, and N-acetylcysteine replacement. After seven days of hospitalisation, he was discharged in good health. This case highlights the importance of patients presenting at the emergency department with uncertain anamnesis, gastrointestinal symptoms or recent consumption of perennial plants before symptom onset, which should raise the suspicion of intoxication. Early diagnosis, organ-specific supportive therapy, and timely initiation of disease-specific therapy are crucial for improving patients’ outcomes.
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Kovács-Ábrahám et al. (2026) studied this question.
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