Pharmacognostic Study ofCoriaria myrtifolia, a Toxic Adulterant of Senna Powder

Poisoning by Coriaria myrtifolia Linnaeus: a new case report and review of the literature

Coriaria myrtifolia should be recognized as one of the most neurotoxic plants in western Mediterranean area. This shrub produces a toxin, coriamyrtin, that is present in high concentrations in the berries. Ingestion of few fruits similar to blackberries may induce digestive and neurological manifestations including seizures, coma and apnea. The authors present a new case report that took place in the French Catalonia: an 8 year-old boy developed vomiting and generalized recurrent convulsions after ingestion of C. myrtifolia berries. He needed repeated diazepam administrations and was managed in the hospital. He recovered after one day of benzodiazepine treatment. In order to evaluate the consequences of C. myrtifolia poisoning, 83 cases of the literature were analyzed: the cases occurred in three countries (Spain, France and Morocco); the mean delay of the symptom development was 150 min; the neurological disturbances were the most frequent signs and 11 patients died (6 children, 5 adults) mainly in old reports.

Anthocyanin composition of the fruit of Coriaria myrtifolia L

The anthocyanin composition of the fruit of Coriaria myrtifolia L. and the changes which occur during ripening were studied using HPLC-PAD and LC-MS. Ten anthocyanins were detected and identified by their absorption and mass spectra as the 3-glucoside and 3-galactoside derivatives of delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, peonidin and malvidin. Fruit ripening was accompanied by substantial changes in the anthocyanin profile, with methoxylated anthocyanins, i.e. malvidin and peonidin, predominating in the final stages of ripening, and the trihydroxylated anthocyanin, delphinidin, during the earlier stages. Furthermore, galactoside derivatives were more abundant than glucosides in the ripe fruit. At full maturity, the fruits of C. myrtifolia were very rich in anthocyanins with a content of 10.7% (on a dry weight basis), a level which is higher than that found in most fruits usually considered to be anthocyanin-rich. The ability to grow C. myrtifolia in damaged and nitrogen poor soils, together with the possibility of using this plant for the extraction of anthocyanin, makes it ideal for consolidating soils and repopulating semi-desert or fire-damaged areas.