Yew poisoning

The Yew plant is a shrub with evergreen-like leaves. Yew poisoning occurs when someone eats pieces of this plant.

This is for information only and not for use in the treatment or management of an actual poison exposure. If you have an exposure, you should call your local emergency number (such as 911) or the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

• Taxine
• Taxol

Taxine is found in various kinds of the Yew plant. The poison is in most parts of the Yew plant, but the highest amount is in the seeds.

• Blue-colored lips
• Breathing difficulty
• Coma
• Convulsions
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Enlarged (dilated) pupils
• Headache
• Irregular heartbeat
• Muscle weakness
• Nausea
• Rapid collapse
• Slow heartbeat
• Stomach pain
• Trembling
• Vomiting

Seek immediate medical help. Do NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care professional.

Determine the following information:

• Patient's age, weight, and condition
• Name and part of the plant that was swallowed, if known
• Time it was swallowed
• Amount swallowed

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

See: Poison control center - emergency number

The health care provider will measure and monitor your vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. You may receive:

• Activated charcoal
• Breathing support
• Fluids through a vein (IV)
• Temporary pacemaker to increase heart rate
• Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)

How well you do depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster you get medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

Hostetler M, Schneider S. Poisonous plants. In: Tintinalli JE, Kelen GD, Stapczynski JS, Ma OJ, Cline DM, eds. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2004:chap 205.

Graeme K. Toxic plant ingestions. In: Auerbach PS, ed. Wilderness Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:chap 58.