Recently, a video titled “University Student Mistakes Common Buckthorn for Ginseng, Falls Asleep for 17 Hours” has gone viral on short video platforms, sparking widespread discussion. The individual involved, Xiao Yi, stated that she thought she had dug up “ginseng” on campus, and after taking a bite, she slept from around 4 PM that day until 9 AM the next morning. “The soil was very loose, and it came out easily; we all thought it was ginseng.” Xiao Yi told reporters that she was initially worried, “Afraid I had pulled out someone’s homework,” but later learned that the plant in that area was wild, leading her to believe it was “ginseng.”
Xiao Yi mentioned that she is currently studying in South Korea and provided reporters with photos of the cross-section and roots of the plant she consumed.
The Common Buckthorn dug up by Xiao Yi, photo provided by the interviewee.
Zhang Jing, a chief herbalist at the Pharmacy Department of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, stated that based on the provided root and original plant information, it is undoubtedly Common Buckthorn. Common Buckthorn (Shanglu) is a perennial herb belonging to the Rhamnaceae family, characterized by its fleshy roots, also known as Zhangliu root, Yehu, Shanluobo, and Jianzhongxiao. The roots can be used medicinally.
Zhang Jing said, “This student seems to have just taken a nap, but in reality, it is a poisoning reaction, which is quite dangerous. She may have woken up later because the amount consumed was not very large, and the toxicity itself can be metabolized by the body.”
In Xiao Yi’s comment section, many netizens expressed, “You think you fell asleep, but in fact, you fainted,” “The immune system went crazy,” “This seems like the last herb tasted by Shennong”…
Zhang Jing stated that consuming a large amount of Common Buckthorn can lead to poisoning reactions, manifesting as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, tachycardia, followed by slurred speech, agitation, convulsions, coma, myocardial suppression, leading to cardiac arrest, decreased blood pressure, and dilated pupils, resulting in myocardial paralysis and death.
Regarding the saying “the last herb tasted by Shennong,” Zhang Jing explained that Shennong tasting hundreds of herbs is a legendary story, “Tasting the flavors of hundreds of herbs and the sweetness and bitterness of spring water, allowing the people to know what to avoid.” It is said that the last herb was the “breaking intestines grass,” which does not necessarily refer to a specific plant but is a general term for toxic plants.
Cross-section of the Common Buckthorn consumed by Xiao Yi, photo provided by the interviewee.
Reporters noted that this year, several people have been hospitalized due to mistakenly consuming “American Buckthorn.”
On November 29, the Sichuan Disease Control Center issued a reminder that the stems of the purple-red Common Buckthorn leaves are toxic but resemble many wild vegetables. The roots of Common Buckthorn and the roots of wild ginseng look similar, leading people to mistakenly harvest and consume them due to a lack of identification skills. Reports of poisoning incidents due to the consumption of Common Buckthorn leaves or roots have been reported in Chengdu, Mianyang, Ziyang, and Meishan in Sichuan.
The Sichuan Disease Control Center stated that once poisoning symptoms appear, one should immediately induce vomiting and seek medical attention as soon as possible. To avoid poisoning, it is recommended to purchase medicinal materials from reputable stores and take them under the guidance of a physician, and not to self-harvest and consume wild plants.
Source: China Youth Daily, compiled from Hongxing News, Sichuan Disease Control, etc.
Editors for this issue: Hu Chengyuan, Fang Ziyi
Be cautious and do not eat recklessly! ↓↓↓