Pong Pong Tree in 'The White Lotus' Has Killed Hundreds

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The poisonous pong pong tree in Thailand is highlighted in The White Lotus Season 3.

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Known as the "suicide tree," Cerbera odollam possesses a lethal cardiac toxin.

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It has a deadly kernel hidden beneath its lovely white blossoms and mango-like fruit.

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Heart failure results from the toxin cerberin's disruption of the sodium-potassium pump.

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Within an hour of consumption, symptoms such as bradycardia, disorientation, and vomiting manifest.

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Cerberin poisoning has no known remedy, and a single seed can be lethal.

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The tree has been implicated in murders, suicides, and even court cases in the past

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Nowadays, online seed sales have resulted in misuse and unintentional poisonings.

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Its inclusion in the program represents the dangers that lie behind wealth and beauty.

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