Lá ngón (Gelsemium elegans), rampant in the northern mountainous regions, is the most poisonous plant in Vietnam as only three leaves are enough to kill a healthy man in less than an hour. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

It was reported that the five women in Linh Ho Commune, Vi Xuyen District had the soup for breakfast made from forest plants without knowing that there was ngón leaves among them.

After drinking the soup, they all became sick and lost feelings in their hands and mouths. They called their relatives to take them to the district’s general hospital.

Director of the hospital Bui Van Toan confirmed they all suffered poisoning due to the leaves.

Bodies of three dead women, aged 53, 58 and 49, were handed to their families while the two surviving victims were transferred to the province’s hospital for further treatment.

According to the Ha Giang Province’s General Hospital, the two patients are now conscious, can communicate well but still are still being monitored.

Lá ngón (gelsemium elegans) is rampant in the northern mountainous regions. It is the most poisonous plant in Vietnam as only three leaves are enough to kill a healthy man in less than an hour. The alkaloids in the plant cause respiratory failure and circulatory collapse.

Ngón plants look like many edible vegetables and usually grow next to the edible plants, so people easily pick it by mistake. VNS

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