[Case of colchicine intoxication caused by tubers of Gloriosa superba].

Gloriosa superba is one of the poisonous plants growing in Japan. It contains potent alkaloid such as colchicine which binds to tubulin and prevents it from forming microtubules that are part of the cytoskeleton in human cells. Ingestion of Gloriosa superba tubers causes severe and potentially fatal toxic effects. We report here a case of colchicine intoxication caused by tubers of Gloriosa superba. A 58-year-old male ingested about 25 g of Gloriosa superba tubers by mistake. He believed that it was wild yam. He developed abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea 30 minutes after the ingestion of the plant. Forty five hours later he was taken to the emergency department. Unfortunately he died due to progressive multiple organ failure about one hour after the admission. It was two days after Gloriosa superba ingestion. The clinical features and the aspect of the poisonous plants should be acquainted with people.