Seventeen Grade 5 students from Tiglawigan Elementary School in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, suffered from poisoning after eating toxic kasla (Jatropha) seeds on Wednesday, Mayor Salvador Escalante confirmed on Thursday, August 13.
City Health Officer Dr. Maria Victoria Ibañez reported that eight of the 17 students, aged 10 to 12, were placed under 24-hour observation at the Cadiz Primary Care Facility.
Five of those held for 24 hours were treated with intravenous (IV) dextrose drips, while three were placed on a hep-lock for intermittent medication delivery. The students experienced severe nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, she said.
All patients were discharged Thursday.
“They said the seeds were sweet and tasted good,” Ibañez added.
The Department of Health (DOH) has warned the public against consuming Jatropha seeds or nuts, locally known as kasla, tuba-tuba, tagumbao, tubang bakod, or tangan-tangan, due to their extreme toxicity.
The fruit is small, green, and fleshy when immature, turning dark brown as it ripens. The inner meat of the seed is white, oily, and deceptively pleasant to taste.
According to the DOH, Jatropha contains multiple toxic compounds:
- Curcin: A phytotoxin found mainly in the seeds that causes severe organ damage.
- Purgative Oil: Comprising nearly 40 percent of the seed, containing irritant curcanoleic acid.
- Hydrocyanic Acid and Resins: Known to cause severe gastrointestinal irritation and skin dermatitis.
- Alkaloid Glycosides: Can cause cardiovascular and respiratory depression alongside atropine-like side effects.
The DOH said that intoxication symptoms typically begin within 30 minutes to 2 hours after ingestion, starting with nausea, vomiting, acute abdominal pain, a burning sensation in the throat, and watery diarrhea. In severe cases, this can lead to hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, dehydration, and liver damage.
Children are particularly vulnerable to direct toxin damage and rapid dehydration. The health department strongly advises that anyone exhibiting symptoms of Jatropha poisoning be rushed immediately to the nearest health facility for gastrointestinal decontamination and fluid replacement.*
[sibwp_form id=1]