There's something that can send you straight to the hospital after you eat it. I'm not talking about the "Zhang Hong" from ancient costume dramas, but a part of a fish that you can see every day... the fish gallbladder! In fact, news of fish gallbladder poisoning has not been uncommon in recent years, yet some people still believe in folk remedies that claim fish gallbladders can cure illnesses, ending up in the hospital. Just recently, Ms. Zeng from An narrowly lost her life after eating the gallbladder of a grass carp.
Talking about eating the fish gallbladder, Ms. Zeng, who was lying in her hospital bed, regretted her actions deeply. Having often heard from her elders that snake gallbladders can treat gout and expel rheumatism, she mistakenly believed that fish gallbladders could do the same, so she ate one. She immediately felt unwell, with incessant vomiting, and was rushed to the emergency department of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Changzhou by her husband in the middle of the night. Zhang Li, Director of the Nephrology Department at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Changzhou, stated that Ms. Zeng's symptoms are typical of fish gallbladder poisoning. Moreover, because she consumed a large amount of the gallbladder, her poisoning was severe, causing serious damage to her liver, kidneys, and heart.
Why are fish gallbladders poisonous?
A fish gallbladder is the gallbladder of a fish, located on the ventral side of the fish's trunk, and is mainly used to store bile secreted by the fish's liver and pancreas. Everyone knows that when preparing a fish, you must not break the gallbladder, otherwise the fish will taste bitter. In fact, fish bile contains a highly toxic protein breakdown product known as bile toxin. Fresh fish bile also contains cholic acid and water-soluble cyprinol sulfate, which can cause serious damage to the liver, kidneys, and heart. If not treated promptly, it can even lead to death. In addition to grass carp gallbladders, the gallbladders of black carp, silver carp, sea bass, and common carp can also cause poisoning.
The severity of fish gallbladder poisoning is related to the amount ingested. Some people may experience digestive tract symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea 30 to 90 minutes after consumption, while others may develop symptoms after 8 hours. In severe cases of poisoning, patients may vomit coffee-colored liquid and pass soy-sauce-like watery stools. After 6 to 12 hours, jaundice (yellowing of the whites of the eyes) and pain in the liver area may appear. This is followed by soreness and pain in the waist, oliguria (reduced urination) or anuria (no urination), accompanied by chest tightness, palpitations, and shortness of breath. Severe cases can lead to acute renal failure. There is currently no specific antidote for fish gallbladder poisoning, so prompt medical attention is required. In recent years, early hemodialysis has often been used, and the prognosis can be significantly improved.
Folklore has long held that fish gallbladders can clear the liver and improve eyesight, clear heat and detoxify, and relieve coughs and asthma. Furthermore, because fish gallbladders are easily obtainable, poisoning incidents occur from time to time. Related research shows that consuming more than 2.5 grams of fish gallbladder at once can lead to poisoning. The consequences of swallowing a raw fish gallbladder can be imagined. When a fish gallbladder is swallowed, the bile toxin acts rapidly on the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, and other organs. Within half an hour, a person can experience gastrointestinal poisoning reactions, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. This is followed by severe clinical emergencies, which can, in the worst cases, lead to multiple organ failure. If not treated in time, it can easily result in death. Moreover, the most critical point is that there is still no specific antidote for fish gallbladder poisoning. Therefore, absolutely do not try it.