EC Paediatrics

Cade oil, extracted by distillation from the branches of Juniperus oxycedrus, continues to be used in traditional medicine, topically or orally despite its toxicity. This oil can be responsible for fatal poisoning, due to its high phenol content, which affects several systems.

Three cases of poisoning by this oil were reported: a 4-year-old child, admitted for a state of convulsive pain whose imaging was in favor of a reversible posterior encephalopathy syndrome (PRES syndrome), a 15-month-old infant admitted in a state of multiorgan failure and a 2-year-old infant, admitted for bradycardia. The three cases were put under resuscitation measures with good progress.

 Keywords: Cade Oil Poisoning; PRES Syndrome; Phenol Content

1. Belakhdar J. “Traditional Moroccan pharmacopoeia, ancient Arabic medicine and popular knowledge”. Paris: Ibis Press (1997).
2. Pipet C. “Contribution to the study of tars used in dermatology and cosmetology”. (Thesis, Doctorate in Pharmacy). Paris (1986).
3. Database of the Moroccan Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Centre National base of the CAP of Morocco.
4. Skalli S., et al. “Side effects of cade oil in Morocco: an analysis of reports in the Moroccan herbal products database from 2004 to 2012”. Food and Chemical Toxicology 64 (2014): 81-85.
5. Bismuth C., et al. “Clinical Toxicology”. Paris: Flam-marion (2000).
6. Sakai Y., et al. “Chemical burn with systemic cresol intoxication”. Pediatrics International 2 (1999): 174-176.
7. Suda T., et al. “Junipe's tar Poisoning”. Clinical Toxicology 1 (2005): 47-49.
8. Achour S., et al. “Juniper tar (Cade oil) poisoning in new born after a cutaneous application”. BMJ Case Reports (2011): bcr0720114427.
9. Truppman ES and Ellenby JD. “Major electrocardiographic changes during chemical face peeling”. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 1 (1979): 44-48.
10. Stagnone GJ., et al. “Cardiovascular effects of topical 50 % trichloroacetic acid and Baker’s phenol solution”. Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology 9 (1987): 999-1002.
11. Gleason MN., et al. “Clinical toxicology of commercial products”. 2^nd Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins (1963): 189.
12. Wu ML., et al. “Concentrated cresol intoxication”. Veterinary and Human Toxicology 6 (1998): 341-343.
13. Janes SEJ., et al. “Essential oil poisoning: N-acetylcysteine for eugenol-induced hepatic failure and analysis of a national database”. European Journal of Pediatrics 8 (2005): 520-522.