Recently, Ms. Fu from Quanzhou, Fujian, inadvertently experienced a toxic reaction after taking photos with oleander in her mouth. Two days later, she developed severe itching all over her body and rashes on the back of her arms. She mentioned that she only had brief contact with the plant, posing for two different shots, never expecting such a serious outcome.
According to reports from mainland China on June 6th, while Ms. Fu and her friends were taking photos in a park in Quanzhou, Fujian, they came across a cluster of blooming oleander flowers. Impressed by their elegant appearance, she confirmed that there was no sap on the flowers, casually picked one and placed it in her mouth for a few snapshots. She then spit out the saliva on the spot.
To her surprise, on the third morning, Ms. Fu found numerous small blisters on her arms, elbows, and back, accompanied by intense itching all over her body. Feeling extremely frightened, upon careful recollection, she suspected a connection with the small flower she had interacted with.
Ms. Fu expressed that she had only touched the plant for a few minutes, posing for two shots, possibly coming into contact with pollen on her back, never anticipating the severity of the reaction. She shared that while she was familiar with red oleanders, she had not realized that these white flowers were also oleanders.
Public information indicates that oleanders, also known as Nerium oleander or Rose Bay, are widely cultivated ornamental flowers with commonly seen colors such as white and pink. Despite their beautiful flowers and evergreen leaves throughout the seasons, oleanders are highly toxic.
It is reported that oleanders contain a toxic substance known as “oleandrin,” a type of cardiac glycoside. The entire plant, including its sap, is toxic, and the toxicity remains even after the plant has dried. The smoke from burning oleander is also toxic. Accidental ingestion can be life-threatening!
A similar incident occurred in Zhengzhou in June 2022, when a female internet user took a series of photos with oleander in her mouth, resulting in her hospitalization the following day.