Cocklebur poisoning

Xanthium sibiricum, also known as Caier, Cangzi or Sunflower, is a wild plant. The whole plant is poisonous, and its young buds and fruits are most toxic. The mechanism of toxicity is not fully understood. Seed kernels and cotyledons contain toxic proteins and glycosides, which may be the main toxic components, which can damage the heart, liver, kidney and cause bleeding. The cause of poisoning is mainly by eating Xanthium fruit or seedlings (misidentified as bean sprouts).