Child in Coma From Mercury-Laced Facial Treatment

A nine-year-old girl was hospitalized in critical condition, suffering from severe hypertension and a rare brain condition. Doctors at Sahyadri Manipal Hospital discovered that a herbal powder she had been consuming for three weeks to treat facial white patches contained over 1,100mg of mercury per 100g. This contamination led to dangerously high mercury levels in her body, causing her to fall into a coma with seizures and extreme blood pressure.

After ruling out other causes, detailed history revealed the use of the herbal powder. Subsequent analysis confirmed significant mercury contamination. The child underwent chelation therapy, a treatment for heavy metal poisoning. This intervention proved effective, leading to a normalization of her blood pressure and a significant drop in mercury levels.

She made a full neurological recovery and was discharged symptom-free. This case highlights the severe risks associated with unsupervised use of herbal remedies, particularly those found to be heavily contaminated with toxic substances like mercury.