The late wife of Republican California Congressman Tom McClintock died from dehydration caused by excessive ingestion of white mulberry leaf, an herbal remedy thought to help treat conditions including diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol, NBC News reports.
Lori McClintock died of dehydration caused by gastroenteritis, an inflation of the linings of the stomach and intestines, that the Sacramento County coroner determined resulted from “adverse effects of white mulberry leaf ingestion.” It is unclear how she ingested the herb–as a tea, a supplement, or eating raw or dried leaves–but an intact white mulberry leaf was found in her digestive tract.
Tom McClintock found his 61-year-old wife lying unresponsive on the floor of their home in Elk Grove, California on December 15, 2021, when he returned home after Congress went on recess.