What can happen after accidental henna consumption?

Question

Hello doctor,

A friend of mine accidentally tasted a little henna. She experienced a little sticky throat, and her vision seemed a little darker than normal, although not too much.

At the moment, she is coughing. Is it a big issue? What should she do? Kindly advise.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

A small amount of henna, if consumed, will be easily detoxified by our body, especially by the liver, and exclusively excreted through the kidneys. But if the person has any other disease manifestation like liver disease or kidney disease, it can lead to more problems. Otherwise, it is fine. But if the amount is more, it can be worrisome because it can lead to liver and renal toxicity. In such a scenario, you should visit the emergency room, and they will do an emergency gastric lavage and appropriate clinical measures depending on the conditions. Small tasted doses usually cause such irritation due to the chemicals present in the henna powder. It will resolve by itself. Just ensure you do adequate mouth rinsing. The throat ache and other difficulties are due to the local chemical irritation.

Kindly reach out again in case of any other queries.

Thank you.