Acute urticaria and angioedema caused by horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) ingestion: a case report

Acute urticaria and angioedema, which can develop due to various causes, are common life threatening condition seen in emergency departments (EDs). The literature includes reports of angioedema cases developing after contacting various plants and seeds. We present the case of a 47-year-old male patient who developed acute urticaria and angioedema after eating horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum). The patient presented to the ED with redness and irritation spread around the body and swelling of the tongue, all of which had started approximately one hour after consuming horse-chestnut. The patient was found to have a minimal uvular and upper lip edema, bilateral teeth marks on his tongue, and widespread maculopapular eruptions all over his body. He was treated with intravenous steroid and antihistaminic. After an 8-hour observation period, the signs and symptoms of the condition abated and the patient was discharged with suggestions.