Lily-of-the-valley

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Lily-of-the-valley

Definition:

Poisoning from eating plant parts of the lily-of-the-valley.

Alternative Names:

Liljekonvall

Poisonous Ingredient:

convallarin
convallamarin

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Where Found:

The fruit, leaves, flowers, and roots of the lily-of-the-valley plant.

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms:

body as a whole
- weakness
eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- blurred vision
- halos around objects (yellow, green, white) *
- excessive urination at night
skin
- rash
- hives
gastrointestinal
- loss of appetite *
- vomiting or nausea
- abdominal pain (lower stomach)
- diarrhea
heart and blood vessels
- irregular or slow heartbeat
nervous system
- drowsiness
- confusion
- depression *
- headache
- fainting
- lethargy
- disorientation

* Usually only seen in chronic overdose cases

Home Treatment:

Contact Poison Control Center for appropriate treatment information.

Before Calling Emergency:

Determine the following information:

the patient's age, weight, and condition
the name of the plant
the time it was swallowed
the amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number:

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Bring the plant with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room:

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

induce vomiting
administer activated charcoal
monitor vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, and so forth)
monitor EKG (monitors heart function)
blood samples drawn to determine:
- serum magnesium levels
- serum potassium levels
administration of antidote and other medication to correct problems resulting from the overdose if needed
correction of electrolyte (potassium, magnesium) imbalances

Expectations (prognosis):

If the individual survives the first 24 hours their chances of survival are very good.

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