Poisoning by Fruit of Lantana Camara: An Acute Syndrome Observed In Children Following Ingestion of The Green Fruit

Introduction Lantana camara or common lantana (Figure) is a plant which has been found to grow in flower gardens, along fencerows and ditch banks, and in fields. It also has been planted widely as an ornamental. This plant grows abundantly in the southern United States and tropical America, the West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the East Indies, India, and other warm climate areas. It is also grown as a summer annual in flower gardens in the temperate zones. Lantana camara has been found to be toxic to sheep, cattle, and other grazing animals in the United States and other countries. 1-8 The active principle obtained by extraction of the leaves of the plant is called lantadene A. 9,10 The chemical structure of lantadene A (and a similar but inactive substance called lantadene B) is known.11,12 Depending upon the amount of the plant eaten and the intensity of the