Citrullus Colocynthis as the Cause of Acute Rectorrhagia

    January 2013 in “ Case reports in emergency medicine ”
    Hamid Reza Javadzadeh, Amir Davoudi, Farnoush Davoudi, Ghasem Valizadegan, Hassan Goodarzi, Sadrollah Mahmoodi, Mohammad Reza Ghane, Mehrdad Faraji
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    TLDR Eating Citrullus colocynthis can cause severe intestinal bleeding and damage.
    In the 2013 case report, four female patients aged between 28 and 57 experienced acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding after ingesting Citrullus colocynthis, a plant used for its hypoglycemic properties. Symptoms progressed from mucosal diarrhea to bloody diarrhea and overt rectorrhagia within 3 to 4 hours post-ingestion. Colonoscopy showed mucosal erosion, which healed completely in 14 days, implicating the plant's membranolytic substances in causing the intestinal damage. The report highlighted the necessity for awareness among patients and herbalists about the correct usage and potential risks of this herb, and for healthcare providers to recognize C. colocynthis as a potential cause of gastrointestinal bleeding, particularly in diabetic patients. It also stressed the importance of education regarding the dosages and side effects of herbal medicines.
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