Eating colchicum instead of wild garlic can be deadly.
In a press releaseANSES and the Poison Control Centers warn of poisoning linked to the consumption of colchicum, a plant too often confused with wild garlic.
Poisonings that occur in the spring
Colchicum (Colchicum autumnale) and wild garlic (Allium ursinum) grow in the spring in the same undergrowth. “The flowers of colchique, very different from those of bear’s garlic or wild leek, only appear in the fall after the other two, which can make it easier to confuse the leaves of these three plants picked up in the spring. before they bloom, explains ANSES.
Between 2020 and 2022, 28 cases of confusion between colchicum, wild garlic or wild leek were recorded by the poison control centres. The poisonings took place from March to May, with a peak in April, mainly in the Grand Est region and Auvergne Rhône Alpes.
The people concerned had prepared the collected leaves in a pesto sauce, in a salad, pan-fried or in a quiche.
Two people who died between 2020 and 2022
Among the poisoned French people, half presented pronounced and prolonged symptoms (diarrhea or persistent vomiting). Four people developed severe, potentially life-threatening manifestations such as severe digestive, hepatic and haematological disorders. Two individuals died.
“The severity of the poisoning depends on the quantity of leaves ingested, the very variable concentration of colchicine present in the plant and the association with certain common drugs (macrolide-type antibiotics, antivitamin K, etc.) which can significantly increase the toxic risk, detail public health experts.
Advice
If you plan to pick wild garlic, health authorities recommend following the advice below:
– do not improvise: make sure you know the plant you are picking up;
– check for the presence of a garlic smell when crumpling each leaf;
– do not pick the leaves in armfuls to avoid picking several species;
– in case of doubt about the identification: do not consume!
– stop eating immediately in the presence of a bitter or unpleasant taste;
– photograph your collection to facilitate identification in case of poisoning.
In the slightest doubt after ingestion or in the presence of symptoms in the hours following the consumption of a dish with wild garlic or wild leek, immediately contact a poison control center or consult a doctor. Call 15 in case of vital distress (coma, respiratory distress, etc.).
