[Poisoning by bird-line thistle (Astractylis gummifera L.) (author's transl)].

The thistle grows in the dry areas of North-Africa and is rather common. The juice of the root is poisonous. Two toxic components have been isolated and their formulas specified. They induce liver necrosis, and block the ADP-ATP conversion. Prognosis is most often fatal, except in mild forms when symptomatic treatment is very early.