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Negligible Oleandrin Content of Hot Dogs Cooked on Nerium oleander Skewers

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Abstract

Introduction

The Nerium oleander plant contains cardenolides that may cause human poisoning when ingested. A long-standing belief holds that it is possible to be poisoned by eating hot dogs or other foods cooked on Nerium oleander branch skewers. Oleandrin levels in frankfurters cooked on fresh and dry Nerium oleander skewers were measured.

Methods

Hot dogs were cooked separately on either dried or fresh oleander branch skewers using a disposable charcoal grill. The hot dogs were then frozen and transported to an analytical laboratory where oleandrin content was measured via liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy (LC/MS).

Results

The oleandrin content of hot dogs cooked on dried and fresh skewers did not exceed 343 ng and 701 ng, respectively.

Conclusion

Hot dogs cooked on Nerium oleander skewers contain a negligible amount of oleandrin with respect to that sufficient to cause human poisoning. Reports of poisonings occurring in this manner are most likely the result of an urban myth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine Health, 333 The City Boulevard West, Suite #640, Route 128-01, Orange, CA, 92868-3201, USA

    Jeffrey Suchard

  2. UC Irvine School of Medicine, Medical Education, 836 Health Sciences Road, Irvine, CA, 92697-4089, USA

    Alexandra Greb

Authors
  1. Jeffrey Suchard
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  2. Alexandra Greb
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Correspondence to Jeffrey Suchard.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Supervising Editor: Mark B. Mycyk, MD

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Suchard, J., Greb, A. Negligible Oleandrin Content of Hot Dogs Cooked on Nerium oleander Skewers. J. Med. Toxicol. 17, 57–60 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-020-00805-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-020-00805-4

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