Health Encyclopedia

Cedar leaf oil

Definition

Cedar leaf oil is a sweet-smelling oil made from some types of cedar trees. Cedar leaf oil poisoning occurs when someone swallows this substance. Young children who smell the oil may try to drink it.

Poisonous Ingredient

Thujone (a hydrocarbon)

Where Found

Some furniture polishes
Some homeopathic medicines
Thuja oil

Symptoms

Airways and lungs
- Breathing difficulty
- Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty)
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- Loss of vision
- Severe pain in the throat
- Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
Gastrointestinal
- Blood in the stool
- Burns of the food pipe (esophagus)
- Severe abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Vomiting blood
Heart and blood vessels
- Collapse
- Low blood pressure that develops rapidly
Nervous system
- Coma
- Seizures
- Stupor
Skin
- Burn
- Irritation

Home Treatment

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

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
Time it was swallowed
Amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

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

What to expect at the emergency room

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:

Fluids by IV
Breathing tube
Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
Oxygen
Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)
Washing of the skin (irrigation) -- perhaps every few hours for several days

Expectations (prognosis)

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.

References

Harborne JB and Baxter H. Chemical Dictionary of Economic Plants. Chichester, England: John Wiley and Sons; 2001.

Review Date:2/27/2008
Reviewed By:Stephen C. Acosta, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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