Question

A child before playing consumed fruit from the garden. After some time he developed a high fever, confusion, photophobia, and unable to urinate. What are the likely causative agent and the appropriate antidote used in this case?

• A. Datura, Pralidoxime
• B. Datura, Physostigmine
• C. Yellow oleander, Pralidoxime
• D. Yellow oleander, Physostigmine

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The symptoms described—high fever, confusion, photophobia, and inability to urinate—are indicative of anticholinergic toxicity. The likely causative agent is Datura, a plant known to contain alkaloids with anticholinergic properties. Physostigmine is the appropriate antidote in this case because it is a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. It works by increasing the levels of acetylcholine in the synapses, counteracting the effects of the anticholinergic compounds from Datura.

• Step 1: Identify the symptoms: high fever, confusion, photophobia, and inability to urinate.
• Step 2: Recognize that these symptoms align with anticholinergic syndrome.
• Step 3: Determine the likely source of anticholinergics. A common source is plants like Datura, known for containing toxic alkaloids such as atropine and scopolamine.
• Step 4: Choose the antidote. Physostigmine is the preferred antidote because it is effective in reversing central and peripheral symptoms of anticholinergic toxicity by inhibition of acetylcholinesterase.

The correct pairing for the causative agent and the antidote is: Datura, Physostigmine.