Bad brew: This herbal tea almost killed someone

Read your tea leaves carefully.

 

 A British woman was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening heart problems after drinking the wrong herb, according to a BMJ case study.

The 63-year-old meant to buy comfrey leaves to brew a home insomnia remedy. But it appears her local store mistakenly sold her foxglove, which is highly toxic and can cause nausea, seizures and abnormal heart rhythms if swallowed.

The otherwise healthy woman, who had no history of heart problems, began vomiting, feeling lightheaded and suffering an irregular heartbeat just hours after drinking the tea she made with the poisonous plant.

The woman was unable to find the original leaves, so physicians were unable to test the plant that she consumed. Fortunately, they deduced what sickened her after a quick internet search revealed foxglove is often mistaken for comfrey, because the plants look so much alike. Plus, her symptoms aligned with foxglove poisoning.

An antidote brought her heart rate back to normal within a few days, and she was sent home and advised to contact the seller about the mistake.

The report also warned shoppers to be careful when taking herbal supplements, and advised health professionals to ask patients whether they’ve consumed any uncommon plants or herbs when taking their health history.

“Homemade herbal remedies on the surface may seem harmless,” the doctors wrote. “However, this case illustrates how limited knowledge of plants can be potentially fatal.”