Poisoning by Coriaria myrtifolia Linnaeus: a new case report and review of the literature

Coriaria myrtifolia L. is a shrub that grows in the Western Mediterranean area. That geographical location explains that cases of poisoning caused by C. myrtifolia have been reported mainly in France, Spain, and Morocco (Bruneton, 1999). There are no English-language reports on this type of plant poisoning in the literature. Both the leaves and berries of C. myrtifolia are known to be neurotoxic. Ingestion can cause seizures and even life-threatening status epilepticus (Bruneton, 1999; Girre, 2001). The authors present a case of poisoning by C. myrtifolia in a child and review the literature from the 18th century up to the present time.