Ecbalium elaterium

Plouvier B, Trotin F, Deram R, De Coninck P, Baclet JL. Concombre d ane (Ecbalium elaterium) une cause pen banale d oedeme de Quincke. [Squirting cucumber Ecbalium elaterium), an uncommon cause of Quincke s edema.] Nouv Presse Med 1981 10(31) 2590. 

Vlachos P, Kanitsakis NN, Kokonas N. Fatal cardiac and renal failure due to Ecbalium elaterium (squirting cucumber). J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1994 32(6) 737-8. 

Raikhlin-Eisenkraft B, Bentur Y. Ecbalium elaterium (squirting cucumber)—remedy or poison J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2000 38(3) 305-8. 

Raikhlin-Eisenkraft, B. and Bentur, Y. (2000) Ecbalium elaterium (squirting cucumber)— remedy or poison J. Toxicol. Clin. Toxicol. 38, 305-308. 

In general, cucurbitacins and the extracts containing them are considered to be toxic, with the degree of toxicity depending on the plant material, type of extract, and the substitution partner of the compound. For example, exposure to the juice of the anti-inflammatory medicinal plant Ecbalium elaterium, especially in its undiluted form, often leads to a supposedly inflammatory irritation of mucous membranes [87]. These toxic effects seem to correspond to the juice s major active compound, cucurbitacin B. 

Kokkonouzis I, Antoniou G. Images in emergency medicine. Uvular oedema caused by intranasal aspiration of undiluted juice of Ecbalium elaterium. Emerg Med J 2009 26(8) 566. 

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