Nine-Year-Old in Pune Develops Rare Brain Syndrome After Consuming Herbal Powder

In a concerning medical case, doctors at Sahyadri Manipal Hospital identified mercury poisoning in a nine-year-old girl after she developed severe neurological symptoms and dangerously high blood pressure. The child had been consuming a herbal powder for nearly three weeks to treat a facial white patch. Laboratory analysis later revealed extremely high mercury content in the product, while urine tests confirmed toxic levels in her body. Her condition progressed to seizures and coma, with imaging showing Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome, a rare brain disorder linked to acute hypertension.

Doctors initiated chelation therapy to remove the toxin, following which her condition gradually improved. Her blood pressure normalized, neurological symptoms resolved, and she recovered fully, reports TOI.

Experts said the case highlights serious risks linked to unsupervised use of herbal medicines, which may contain harmful contaminants like heavy metals. They stressed the need for medical guidance before using such products, especially in children, and called for stricter regulation and awareness to prevent similar incidents.