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New Delhi: Bottle
gourd or lauki juice may not be the best health drink and certain
precautions must be observed, including discarding bitter-tasting lauki, the health ministry said in an advisory issued Tuesday.
After a few cases of death and illness due to lauki juice were
reported, the health ministry has come out with a detailed
advisory on the juice.
The health ministry says a small piece of lauki must be cut and
tasted to ensure it is not bitter and only then should the juice
be extracted.
"If it is bitter, it should be discarded," joint advisor in the
Ayush department of health ministry J. Pandey said in the
advisory.
The advisory, prepared by an expert committee of the Indian
Council of Medical Research, says bitter lauki juice must not be
consumed at all and lauki juice must not be mixed with any other
juice.
"After consumption of lauki juice, if there is any discomfort,
nausea, vomiting or any feeling of uneasiness, the person should
immediately be taken to a nearby hospital," Pandey said.
Giving instructions to doctors, the health ministry says in case
of any symptoms of discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or
gastrointestinal bleeding, after consuming lauki juice, detailed
clinical examination should be done and vitals of the patients
should be checked.
"Details of the quantity of juice consumed and its taste should
also be recorded," said Pandey.
The health ministry also said tests including hemogram, urine
examination, biochemical, electrolytes, liver and kidney function
tests including prothrombin time and platelets count, serum
amylase and blood sugar should be done.
X-ray of chest, ECG, ultrasound and endoscopy may also be
required.
A 59-year-old senior deputy secretary at the Council of Scientific
and Industrial Research (CSIR) died in July last year and his wife
was serious after taking lauki juice.
"The gourds which have bitter taste may be toxic," a health
ministry official said.
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