Unit 2 & 3 Poisons - PDF

# Unit 2 Poisons ## Introduction to Poisons Poisons have been used by humans for thousands of years, often with deadly consequences in the context of forensic science. The investigation of Poisons is intertwined with investigations of suspicious death, criminal activity, accidental death, and modu...

# Unit 2 Poisons ## Introduction to Poisons Poisons have been used by humans for thousands of years, often with deadly consequences in the context of forensic science. The investigation of Poisons is intertwined with investigations of suspicious death, criminal activity, accidental death, and modus operandi. ## Definition Poison is any substance that when introduced into a living organism in sufficient quantities, can cause a harmful illness or death by chemical action. ## Classification of Poisons ### Classification of Poisons on the Basis of Origin - **Animal Poisons (Zootoxins):** Poisons that can be derived from animals, such as venom from snakes, spiders, jellyfish and scorpions. - **Plant Poisons (Phytotoxins):** Poisons that can be derived from plants such as alkaloids, strychnine, and glycosides. - **Microbial Poisons:** Bacterial toxins such as botulinum toxin and diphtheria toxins. - **Mineral Poisons:** Inorganic substances such as arsenic, lead, and mercury. - **Synthetic Poisons:** Man-made substances including pesticides, drugs, and industrial chemicals. ### Classification of Poisons on the Basis of Chemical Nature - **Inorganic Poisons:** Non-carbon based substances including metals such as mercury, lead, acids, and salts. - **Organic Poisons:** Carbon-based substances including alkaloids and synthetic drugs - **Gaseous Poisons:** Toxins and gases, such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and chlorine. ### Classification of Poisons on the Basis of Synthetic Effect: - **Local Poisons:** Cause damage at the site of contact, such as strong acids and bases. - **Systemic Poisons:** Cause damage throughout the body causing wide-spread effects, such as alcohol and narcotics. ### Classification of Poisons Based on Mode of Action: - **Neurotoxins:** Affect the nervous system such as cyanide and strychnine. - **Cardio Toxins:** Affect the heart and circulatory system such as digitalis and arsenic. - **Hepatotoxins:** Damage the liver such as acetaminophen in high doses. - **Nephrotoxins:** Affect kidneys such as mercury and lead - **Cytotoxins:** Cause cell damage/death such as venom and chemotherapy agents. ## Factors Affecting the Action of Poisons - **Dose:** Some Poisons are dose dependent and will not cause any harmful effect on the body until the critical dose is reached. - **Concentration:** Highly concentrated poisons are more effective compared to low concentrated ones. - **Rate of Administration:** The rate of the poison entering the body will be slow. The effect of the poison in the body is less. - **Root of Administration:** The action of poison also depends on the root of poison. The oral root of poison by gastrointestinal track is slow compared to the vein injected poison. - **Tolerance:** A person habituated to taking the poison, own to has to be able to take the poison. All period of time. may be able to tolerate the poison more take of the poison. - **Age and Health:** Child and old people are more easy and highly effected by poison but young people are strong. - **Physical State of Poison:** - Liquid poison: Fast-effect-severe absorption - Solid poison: Slow-effect-low absorption - Gas poison: Slow-effect-slow absorption ## Classification of Poisoning - **Fulminant Poisoning:** Due to enormous dose, death due to rapid rate causing shock without symptoms. - **Chronic Poisoning:** Caused by smaller doses over a long period of time. Examples are poisoning by metalloids, opium, arsenic, phosphorus, lead etc. - **Sub-acute Poisoning:** Continuous or repeated exposure to poison more than 72 hours (3 days) less than 1 month. - **Acute Poisoning:** Caused by an excessive single dose. ## Types of Poisoning - **Homicidal poisoning:** Administration of poison with the motive to kill another person. Substances used to kill another person should be cheap and easily available. - **Suicidal Poisoning:** Takes place due to ingesting of poisonous substances by the individual. - **Accidental Poisoning:** Takes place due to the storage of poisonous and non-poisonous substance at the same place or administering the poison by mistake. ## Food Poisoning - The biological cause for food poisoning are microorganisms, parasites, fungi, molds, animal and chemical. The chemical cause cannot be ignored such as heavy metals, pesticides, food additives. ## Latrogenic Poisoning - Caused by the administration of wrong drugs or by the wrong physician. ## Synergistic Poisoning - Caused by collective effect of two chemical substances or drugs. For example, carbon tetrachloride used to treat the hepatic problems, but with the effect of ethanol is harmful for lives. ## Agrochemical Poisoning - Caused by the pesticides, for example tabun, sasin, somaros, and various banned pesticides such as DDT, BHO. ## Antidote - Any substance which neutralizes the effect of poison without causing harm to the body ## Mode of Action of Antidote - **By forming inert compound:** Chelating agent - heavy metal, thio-sulfate - cyanide - **Accelerated detoxification:** Thio-sulfate - cyanide, Ethanol - methanol - **Reduced receptor site:** Ethanol - cyanide - **Bypass body effect:** 100% O₂ - Cyanide. ## Classification of Antidotes - **Mechanical or Physical activation antidotes** - **Chemical antidotes** - **Physiological or Pharmacological antidotes** - **Universal antidotes** ## Mechanical or Physical Antidotes - Stop absorption of poison and neutralize the poison - **Activated charcoal:** Antidote for alkaloidal poisons (strychnine), mineral poisons, opium, cyanide, phenobarbital (phenab), salicylates, and paracetamol alternative of kerosene. ## Demulcents - Are capable of forming a protective coating on the gastric mucosa and prevent the damage caused by poisons. Demulcents include fatty acid products such as milk, egg, albumin, and oil etc ## Dose - **Children:** 30 - 60 gm - **Adult:** 60 - 160 gm ## Chemical Antidotes - Chemical antidotes inhibit the action of poisons by forming harmless or insoluble compound by binding with poison - Example: atropine - acetylcholine ## Physiological/Pharmacological Antidotes - For example - atropine - acetylcholine, physostigmine ## Universal Antidotes - Used when poisons are not known. Universal antidotes are a mixture of physical & chemical antidotes. ## Chelating Agents as Antidotes - **E. D. T. A** - **B. A.** - **D.M.P.S** - **Penicillamine** # Unit 3 Animal and Plant Poisons ## Animal Poisons ### Venomous Animals and their Antidotes - **Vertebrates:** - **Reptiles:** - **Snakes:** There are 500 species of snakes poisonous to humans and 298 species of snakes found in India with only 52 considered poisonous. #### Snake Venom - It is the secretion of racemates, saliva, glands, found at the back of the head, below and behind the eyes. The venom retains the poisonous properties for several years when dried. - **Cobra Venom:** Slightly viscous but becomes more turbid when exposed to sun. The venom of snakes is a mixture of two or more toxins: - **Fibrinolysis:** Enhances coagulation process. - **Proteolysins:** Release of histamine from damaged cells and destruction of cell walls. - **Neurotoxins:** Paralysis and arrest of respiration. - **Haemolysis:** Breakdown of blood cells. - **Cholinesterase:** Hydrolysis of acetylcholine to choline, impairment of neuromuscular activity. - **Cytolysin:** Lysis of cell structures of blood corpuscles. - **Agglutinins:** Agglutination of red blood corpuscles. - **Phosphatidases:** Haemolysis; heat, drying effect. - **Hyaluronidases:** Hyaluronidases of venom. - **Protease:** Dissalutation of walls of cells. #### Antidotes for Snake Venom - **Antivenom:** Used to treat the snake bite. #### Mode of Preparing Snake Antivenom - Antivenom is prepared by immunizing horses with small amounts of venom introduced into the horses. Then the horse’s immune system produces antibodies against the venom which is collected and used as the anti venom. #### Types of Antivenom - **Monovalent antivenom:** Specific to species of snake venom - **Polyvalent antivenom:** Neutralizes the different types of venom of different species of snakes. #### Mode of Action of Antivenom - The antibodies bind to the venom and neutralize the venom. ### Other Venomous Animals - **Fish:** Tetrodotoxin and ciguatoxins poisoning - **Amphibians:** Bufo tenine toxins - **Birds:** Pitohui birds skin and feathers contain alkaloids of bater achotoxins.gsbep. ## Invertebrates - **Arthropods:** - **Cantharides (Spanish Fly):** The dried beetle Cantharis vesicatoria known as Spanish Fly. #### Spanish Fly Poison - Contains cantharidin toxin. #### Cantharidin Toxin Effects - Gastrointestinal irritation, kidney damage and even death. #### Symptoms of Cantharidin Poisoning - Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty urinating, and kidney filtration issues. #### Antidote for Cantharidin Poisoning - There is no specific antivenom or antidote for cantharidin poisoning. - **Activated Charcoal:** To reduce absorption of toxin. - **IV Fluids:** To keep body hydration and kidney function. - **Pain Management:** Analgesics for pain relief. - **Arachnids:** - **Scorpions:** Scorpions are poisonous arthropods that have eight segments with four pairs of legs, a pair of claspers and a pair of posterior appendages. Varying in colours the venom contains. #### Scorpion Venom - Contains main toxins including phospholipase, deoxyribonuclease, hyaluronidase, serotonin and neurotoxins. #### Scorpion Venom vs Snake Venom - Scorpions venom is more toxic than snake venom. #### Sign and Symptoms of Scorpion Venom - **Local Symptoms:** - **Pain:** Burning pain at the site of contact. - **Swelling:** Swelling at the site of contact and inflamed. - **Redness:** Site of contact skin becomes red and flush. - **Muscle Twitching:** Muscle fasciculation. - **Systemic Symptoms:** - **Nausea and Vomiting:** - **Sweating, salivation:** -**Breathing difficulty, hypertension:** - **Blurred vision:** - **Muscle cramps, fever:** ## Plant Poisons ### Datura - Datura is a genus of plants known to be toxic. All parts of the plant, including seeds, leaves, and flowers contain tropane alkaloids. Such as atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine which is highly poisonous. #### Signs and Symptoms of Datura Poisoning - **Delirium and Confusion:** - **Hallucinations:** Vivid, terrifying feelings of restlessness, inability to recognize people and situations. - **Dryness:** Mouth dryness, skin and mucous dryness. - **Difficulty in swallowing:** - **Increased heart rate and respiration:** - **Inability to urinate:** - **Fever:** In serious cases. - **Coma:** #### Antidote for Datura - Activated charcoal, benzodiazepines. physostigmine. ### Oleander (Nerium Oleander) - Highly toxic plant. Every part of the plant contains several poisons including cardiac glycoside. It can cause dangerous effects to the heart. #### Symptoms of Oleander Poisoning - **Gastrointestinal Symptoms:** - Nausea and vomiting - Abdominal pain - Diarrhoea - **Cardiovascular Symptoms:** - Irregular heart beat - Bradycardia (slow heart rate) - Tachycardia (fast heart rate) - Hypotension (slow blood pressure) - Chest Pain - **Neurological Symptoms:** - Dizziness, confusion, tremors. - Headaches. - **Respiratory Symptoms:** - Respiratory paralysis and difficulty in breathing. #### Antidote for Oleander Poisoning - **Digoxin Specific Antibody Fragments (Digibind) and activated charcoal**. ### Madar (Calotropis Gigantea) - Commonly known as Madar, Sown, and Milkweed Plant. #### Signs and Symptoms of Madar Poisoning - **Gastrointestinal Symptoms:** - Nausea and vomiting - Diarrhoea - **Cardiovascular Symptoms:** - Bradycardia (slow heart rate) - Hypotension (slow blood pressure) - Tachycardia (fast heart rate) - **Neurological Symptoms:** - Headache, - Dizziness or lightheadedness - Confusion or altered mental status - **Respiratory Symptoms:** - Breathing difficulty - Respiratory paralysis. #### Antidote for Madar Poisoning - **Activated Charcoal:** - **Atropine:** Bradycardia - **Magnesium Sulfate:** Arrhythmia ### Abrus Precatorius - Commonly known as rosary pea. The poisonous part of the plant is seeds. It contains a potent toxin - abrin. #### Signs and Symptoms of Abrus Precatorius Poisoning - **Initial Symptoms (within hours):** - Nausea and vomiting - Abdominal pain - Diarrhea - **Systematic Symptoms** - Fever, fatigue. - **Severe Symptoms (progressing over 3 days):** - Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis. - Liver Damage - Kidney failure - Coma: Confusion, Coma #### Antidote for Abrus Precatorius Poisoning - Immediate medical attention (like activated charcoal). There is no specific antidote for Abrus Precatorius. ### Castor (Ricinus Communis) - The castor plant contains a highly toxic compound called Ricin. It is a potent poison. Castor oil can cause severe poisoning if ingested, inhaled, or injected. The signs and symptoms, and treatment of poisoning, are described in detail in the previous sections related to poisons.