The most dangerous toxic household substances. Deadly substances. Cyanide, or potassium cyanide
Let's start with the "king" of poisons - Arsenic. Until 1832, arsenic poisoning was extremely difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms of poisoning with this poison were similar to those of cholera. This similarity made it possible to disguise the use of arsenic and its compounds as a deadly poison.
In acute arsenic poisoning, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, depression of the central nervous system are observed.
Antidote: aqueous sodium thiosulfate solution, dimercaprol.
Cyanide
Potassium cyanide, or potassium cyanide, is the most powerful inorganic poison. It looks like granulated sugar.
When it enters the body, the cells stop absorbing oxygen, as a result of which the body dies from interstitial hypoxia. Potassium cyanide is absorbed very quickly and therefore death occurs within 15 minutes.
Sarin gas
Sarin gas is a poisonous substance with a nerve-paralytic effect.
The first signs of a person's exposure to Sarin are nasal discharge, chest congestion, and constriction of the pupils. Shortly thereafter, the victim has difficulty breathing, nausea and increased salivation. Then the victim completely loses control over bodily functions. This phase is accompanied by convulsions. Ultimately, the victim falls into a comatose state and suffocates in a fit of convulsive spasms, followed by cardiac arrest.
Antidote: Atropine, Pralidoxime, Diazepam, Athens.
diamphotoxin
Diamphotoxin is the most powerful poison of animal origin on our planet, contained in the blood of the larvae of the South African leaf beetle.
Able to reduce the content of hemoglobin in the blood by 75% in a short period of time due to the massive destruction of red blood cells.
Antidote: There is no specific antidote.
Ricin
Ricin is the most powerful plant-derived poison, which is obtained from the castor beans of the castor bean plant.
To kill an adult, a few grains are enough. Ricin kills cells in the human body by preventing the production of the proteins it needs, resulting in organ failure. A person can become poisoned by ricin through inhalation or after ingestion.
If inhaled, symptoms of poisoning usually appear 8 hours after exposure and include difficulty breathing, fever, cough, nausea, sweating, and chest tightness.
If swallowed, symptoms appear in less than 6 hours and include nausea, low blood pressure, hallucinations, and seizures. Death can occur in 36-72 hours.
Antidote: There is no specific antidote.
Excerpts from the book by Alexei Gorbylev "Claws of the invisible"
“Our destiny is to be invisible, we are knights of the order of invisible deeds, we are a caste of ghosts standing above mere mortals,” the well-known Soviet writer Roman Nikolaevich Kim puts such words into the mouth of a ninjutsu mentor in his story about the ninja “School of Ghosts”. Reading these lines, I immediately remember poisons - the most insidious, invisible weapon. Here is a man reading a book, admiring the sunset, basking in the sun, feasting with friends... And suddenly he starts shaking, faints and dies in a few minutes. Yes, poison is a serious thing!
Ninja, the invisible assassins of medieval Japan, were well versed in poisons, knew how and when to use them. Of course, science has come a long way since then. But, despite the fact that the "night demons" did not know the sophisticated synthetic poisons of our days, their
the arsenal was no less effective and intimidating.
The ninja made many demands on the quality of the poison. They needed poisons that killed instantly, and poisons that killed the victim after many days, so that the shadow of suspicion would not fall on the spy, and he would have time to get out of enemy territory. They needed poisons for which there were no antidotes, poisons that didn't work like poison. There is no doubt that over the long centuries of searching, the “night demons” managed to find both, and the other, and the third. Probably, we will never be able to find out how many prominent politicians and commanders were killed by invisible poisoners so that their death did not arouse suspicion in anyone.
DEADLY POISONS (ANSATSUYAKU)
The deadly poisons described in the ninjutsu instructions are divided into four categories:
1. slow-acting poisons mixed with food;
2. poisons that kill after a short period of time, mixed with food;
3. instant poisons mixed into food;
4. poisons that kill when they enter the blood.
1. Delayed Poisons
A typical example is the poison, which was extracted from green tea of the highest grade with the poetic name "Gyokuro" - "Jasper dew". Due to its unique properties, it was very popular among the "night demons". Gyokuro tea was brewed very strongly, poured into a bamboo container, tightly closed in it and buried for thirty to forty days under the veranda of the house for rotting. The resulting liquid black gruel was to be mixed into the food of the victim for several days, 2-3 drops per day. As a result, the average healthy person became seriously ill on the 30th day, and by the 70th day he was sent to the next world. A person weakened by illness gave his soul to God much earlier. So much so that later no doctor could determine that the patient's death
caused by poisoning. Of course, over time, the secret of the gyo-kuro poison was unraveled by physicians, and even a special medical term “shukucha no doku” appeared - “poisoning with tea infused at night”.
American journalists Al Weiss and Tom Philbin tell a legend about how one ninja, who settled under the guise of an ordinary resident in an enemy city, slowly but surely poisoned the local “mayor” with gyokuro poison for several months. At the same time, he himself drank the same green tea, to which he added poison, as the mayor did, and thus averted suspicions that could creep into the soul of the enemy. But... after every tea party, he took the antidote. As a result, the "mayor" died, as it seemed to everyone, a natural death, and no one suspected a spy. Al Weiss and Tom Philbin also suggest that the ninja used bamboo, which is abundant in Japan, as a poison, although this is not specifically mentioned in the literature. As National Geographic wrote, “The stems of many types of bamboo have a skin covered with fluffy fine hairs. Be careful not to touch them. They penetrate the skin and cause severe irritation. Indeed, these hairs are the perfect poison. “The bacteria on the hairs can even cause blood poisoning. I read, - the author continues, - that in ancient times, hairs from the skin were mixed into food in order to send the enemy to the next world.
2. Poisons that kill after a short period of time
Poisons of this action were made from mineral, vegetable or animal raw materials. An example of poisons of the first kind are copper oxide (green; green coating formed on copper as a result of oxidation) and rat poison (arsenic).
Plant poisons were extracted from such plants as licorice (higambana; fig. 231), caustic buttercup (kimpoge, umanoashigata; fig. 232), etc.
As for the poisons extracted from animals, here the ninja preferred the poison obtained from the sand beetle hammyo (Fig. 233).
3. Instant Poisons
Such ninja poisons were poetically called "zagarashi-yaku" - "poisons that dry right on the spot." The most popular version of this poison was made from the seeds of green plum and green peach fruits, which were taken in equal proportions. In order to get poison, the bones were boiled for a long time (necessarily together). This poison was secretly mixed into the food of the victim or sprayed into the air in the form of the smallest dust so that it entered the respiratory tract. In the latter case, in a matter of seconds, it was possible to send to the other world with
a dozen enemies crammed into a small Japanese room.
In the Bansenshukai there is a paragraph called "Ho-ken-jutsu" - "Technique of meeting with a dog", which explains the technique of poisoning a four-legged friend of a person: "When entering a house in which there is a dog, two or three days [before operation] should be mixed with yakimeshi rice (fried boiled rice)[poison] matin [in proportion] 1 pound (1 pound = 0.375 g) per bun and put a few buns in the place where the dog may appear. 
The poison matin mentioned in the Bansensukai is nothing but strychnine. Strychnine is an extremely dangerous deadly poison. In order to kill a person, only 0.98 milligrams of this substance is enough. When ingested with food, it causes
characteristic convulsions, when the victim seems to lean back. The poisoned person experiences terrible pain and after a while dies from paralysis of the respiratory system.
Strychnine is an alkaloid. It was extracted from the dried seeds of tropical plants from the genus strychnos (chilibuha), containing up to 3% of poisonous alkaloids (Fig. 234).
In Japan, strychnine was widely used during the Edo period as an ingredient in rat poison. It came to Europe only in the 16th century, but its production was strictly prohibited due to the increasing cases of poisoning.
4. Poisons that kill when they enter the blood
It was with such poisons that the ninja smeared their “death stars” with shurikens, arrowheads, fukibari arrows. When they enter the bloodstream, they cause almost instantaneous paralysis of the respiratory system and heart, which leads to the death of a person. Such poison was obtained from the juice of the tori-kabuto plant (Japanese wrestler; Fig. 235). It is believed that the poison of torika-buto was invented by the ancient inhabitants of the Japanese islands of the Ainu.
(edzo), who processed their arrowheads with it and with their help felled bears. 
In the absence of torikabuto poison, the victim could be sent to the next world with the help of a shuriken smeared with horse manure. Horse manure contains many pathogenic bacteria that cause erysipelas (erysipelas), often resulting in the death of the patient. It is interesting that American soldiers were able to get acquainted with this poison, which is called “on their own skin”, during the Vietnam War: the Vietnamese, like the ninja, dipped their knives and bayonets in horse manure and blood.
In addition to deadly poisons, ninjas knew recipes for sleeping potions, drugs that cause paralysis, insanity, and inadequate reactions.
SLEEPING (NARCOTIC) DRUGS (MASUYAKU)
In the instructions for ninjutsu, recipes for three poisons of this kind are given.
The first remedy has already been described in chapter 2 in the section "Poisonous agents". It was made from the blood of the imori red-bellied newt, the blood of the Japanese moger mole, the blood of a snake, and some secret drug, the composition of which has not yet been clarified by researchers. Paper was impregnated with this mixture, which was twisted into paper twine, set on fire and thrown to the enemy. It could also
quietly throw a piece of paper into the brazier in the guardroom or into the fire at the enemy's bivouac. After inhaling poisonous soporific smoke, the enemy soon fell into a deep sleep.
Another sleeping potion was made from the bat, the leaves of the aogiri tree. (firmiana, sterculia), centipede, sandal and paper tree pits, clove, evergreen aquilaria, mercury and ox dung. All this should have been ground into powder, mixed (often small balls were molded from the resulting substance) and set on fire. Having swallowed the smoke of this terrible mixture, people soon fell into a sound sleep.
The recipe for the third sedative, described in the secret instructions of the ninja, was as follows. It was necessary to dry in the shade and grind hemp leaves into flour. Then the flour was boiled. The resulting broth was mixed with weak tea, which was eventually fed to the chosen victim. From one sip, a person fell asleep, from 2-3 - he fell into a dream, accompanied by fever. If a person is forced
drink the drug for several days in a row, he just went crazy.
POISONS CAUSING PARALYSIS (SIBIREYAKU)
The texts describe two poisons of this effect, which should be mixed with food. The first ninja poison was obtained from a liquid that
was mined from the growths above the eyes of the giant Japanese toad hikigaeru (bufo marinus), considered the largest toad in the world (Fig. 236): its body length, not counting the length of the legs, is 22.5 cm! This liquid is so toxic that even with a single touch of it with a finger, the finger immediately begins to go numb.
Hikigaeru poison causes high blood pressure, headache and paralysis. Its action resembles the effects of taking an excessive amount of heart medication. To extract the poison, the toad is put on a skewer and roasted. Blisters form on the skin of the toad, and the poison flows out of the glands. It is collected in a container and allowed to ferment. The second paralysis-causing poison was extracted from the liver of the poisonous puffer fish (Fig. 237). Pufferfish are often referred to as "exploding" or "puffing" fish because they puff up when angered or when looking for food. Despite the fact that almost all Japanese are aware of the poisonousness of fugu, dozens of people die from its hell every year in the Land of the Rising Sun. The fact is that fugu is considered a delicious delicacy served in the most expensive and sophisticated restaurants. Top-class chefs working in them are able not only to prepare fugu in food, but also to remove its hell, which is certified by the state
license. But not everything is so simple. Fugu poison, which chemists call "tetradoxin", retains its properties even when the fish is cooked, and it takes quite a bit, from 8 to 10 milligrams, to be fatal. In addition, hell can be found in any organ of the fish. 
The result - multiple deaths caused by the use of fugu in food. In one of the post-war years, 250 accidental poisonings of this kind were recorded. At the same time, more than half of the victims died. Poisoning most often occurs in winter, when puffer fish is the most delicious and at the same time the most poisonous.
To destroy the enemy, extracting hell from the fugu was not at all necessary. It was enough, under the guise of a cook, to slip a "tidbit" piece of undercooked fish onto the victim's plate. And that's it. The poison affected the respiratory center of the brain and paralyzed the respiratory muscles.
POISONS THAT CAUSE TEMPORARY INTERNALITY (KYOKIYAKU)
In order to cause insanity in the victim, it was enough to crush the seeds of white dope (chosen asagao, mandarage; Fig. 238) into dust and mix them into the victim's food.
A few hours after ingesting 5-10 seeds, a person either fell asleep or went crazy.
POISONS THAT ALLOW TO CAUSE IN THE VICTIMS A STATE OF ANXIETY, WORRY, INADEQUATE REACTIONS (SOJO-YAKU)
Poison that causes severe itching This poison was extracted from the thorns of the herb kaikaigus (a type of irakus-Tumberga nettle; Fig. 239). Of them
the smallest powder was made, which was sprinkled on the underwear or neck of the victim, who was then ready to tear his skin to shreds from a terrible itch.
Poison that causes unreasonable laughter
As such a means, the poisonous hallucinogenic mushroom waraidake was used (Fig. 240). It was finely chopped and mixed into the food of the victim, who as a result began to roll on the floor, shaking with unreasonable laughter in the complete absence of self-control.
Al Weiss and Tom Philbin tell in their book about a strange incident that occurred when two princes were fighting for control of one of the provinces. One of them, in front of a large gathering of people, declared that he was a god and could strike with blindness anyone who stood in his way. The second prince reacted to this statement with laughter. However, shortly after dinner, he began to go blind and announced to the whole world that his opponent was indeed a god. In fact, the creator of the "deity" was a ninja who poisoned the prince's bath towel with a poison that causes temporary blindness.
In nature, there are a huge number of substances that, on the one hand, are dangerous to health, and on the other hand, help to cure various diseases. It all depends on their number and concentration. When exposed to poisons in sufficiently small quantities, some of them help to cure the most dangerous diseases, without any pathologies and consequences.
The strongest poison
Poisons are quite diverse: some instantly kill a person, while others have a very slow effect, gradually leading to death for the body. Some even cause severe pain and terrible torment. There are a huge number of them, the article indicates the most dangerous. So dangerous that it is difficult to even determine which poison is the most powerful.
Cyanide
Hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives are a very dangerous substance for the human body. A very small amount of it can instantly kill a living organism. However, sugar can resist it, it is an antidote.
Anthrax poison
The bacteria that cause this life-threatening disease belong to the Bacillus anthracis family. They attack healthy cells, causing them to die. If a person has a skin form of the disease, then in 20% it leads to death. With the defeat of the intestinal form of anthrax, 50% of the victims die. The pulmonary form leaves practically no chance for the patient to survive, doctors manage to save only 5%.
Sarin
This substance was obtained as a result of attempts to synthesize pesticides. It is very dangerous, when it enters the body, a person experiences severe torment, which ultimately leads to death. This poison was used as a chemical weapon for a long time, until its production was stopped in the 90s. But at present it is still used by terrorists and the military.
Amatoxins
These substances are found in fly agaric mushrooms. After the poison enters the body, a person can only feel symptoms only after 10 hours or even the next day. Amatoxins have a detrimental effect on all organs, therefore, in most cases, poisoning is fatal. If a person managed to survive, then for the rest of his life he will be tormented by pain that occurs due to internal organs damaged by these substances.
Mercury
This poison penetrates into all internal organs of a person. It tends to accumulate, therefore, with a slight ingestion, it poisons the body very slowly. In case of poisoning with this substance, the normal activity of the nervous system is disturbed in a person, a severe mental disorder occurs.
Strychnine
It was discovered by chemists in the 19th century. This poisonous substance is obtained from chilibukha nuts. A large amount of it leads to severe poisoning. Subsequently, a slow death occurs, while the person suffers greatly, and he begins to have convulsions. If used in small amounts, strychnine is an excellent remedy for paralysis. Another useful property is that this substance speeds up the metabolism.
Tetrodotoxin
This poison is found in a Japanese fish called fugu. Its content was also noted in the caviar and skin of animals that live in the water in the tropical zone, and its presence was also registered in the caviar of the Californian newt. Doctors are not always able to cure a person after getting this poison inside, and the mortality rate is high. However, most people still prefer to try this delicacy - puffer dishes. But even the most experienced cook is not immune from the fact that visitors will not be poisoned by the fish he cooks.
VX
This poison is used by the military as a chemical weapon. It paralyzes the human body, and also causes a nervous breakdown. If a person inhaled its vapors, or the substance got on the skin, then in less than an hour a painful death occurs.
Ricin
Obtained from plants. Its grains are very dangerous, which, if they enter the respiratory tract, endanger human life. He dies if this substance enters the bloodstream. Very powerful, even stronger than cyanide, and only because of technical problems it was not possible to use it as a chemical weapon of mass destruction. But still, this poison is used by the military and terrorists.
Botulinum toxin
Produced by bacterial cells Clostridium botulinum, which are very dangerous for human health and life. When exposed to them, the body develops botulism. This poison is widely used in medicine: it is added in small quantities to medical preparations, and it has also been widely used in operations in which Botox is used. Perhaps botulinum toxin is the most powerful poison for humans.
The poisons described in the article have a detrimental effect on the body, causing death in most cases. And if it is possible to save the victim from intoxication with these substances, then for the rest of his life he has various consequences and health problems.
Trying to figure out if the poison is the strongest in nature is doomed to failure - too many variables affect the results. Nevertheless, if we take only one parameter - the average lethal dose, only one type of living creatures - laboratory mice, only one route of administration - intramuscular, evaluate not whole poisons, but their individual components, then we can get some idea of \u200b\u200bthe "ideal killers" .
The average lethal dose, DL50 (lat. dosis letalis), causes the death of half of the experimental animals (DL100 is the dose that is the minimum sufficient for everyone who received it). DL is measured in milligrams of a substance per 1 kg of animal body weight (mg / kg), in our rating it is indicated in brackets after the name of the substance. So, the top 10 most toxic poisons with DL50 are for mice when administered intramuscularly.
Neurotoxin II (0.085 mg/kg)
Source: a component of the poison of the Central Asian (Naja oxiana).
The poison of this snake is extremely strong. When bitten, it has a neurotoxic effect. After the bite, the victim is lethargic, but soon convulsions begin to shake, breathing quickens, superficial. Death occurs after a while due to paralysis of the respiratory tract. Local manifestations (hematomas, tumors) do not occur with a bite of the Central Asian.
Despite the danger, this snake bites quite rarely, preferring to take a defensive posture when danger approaches, and hisses loudly, raising the front part of the body and spreading the front eight pairs of cervical ribs to the sides in such a way that the flattened neck expands in the form of a “hood”. Usually, this is enough to convince the enemy to retreat. Although, even if the enemy does not heed the warnings, this is not always followed by a bite. First, the cobra inflicts a fake bite - throwing the front of the body sharply forward and hitting the enemy with its head. The mouth is closed during this blow. Thus, the snake protects its own from possible injury.
The Central Asian cobra, whose length reaches 1.5-1.6 m, is common in northwestern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and northeastern Iran. In Central Asia, this snake is found in Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The northern border of the range is the Nura-Tau ridge and the Bel-Tau-Ata mountains, the western border is the spurs of the Turkestan ridge.
Antidote: it is recommended to introduce anticobra serum or polyvalent anti-snake serum, the use of anticholinesterase drugs in combination with atropine, corticosteroids, antihypoxants. With deep respiratory disorders, artificial ventilation of the lungs is necessary.
Alpha-latrotoxin (0.045 mg/kg)
Source: contained in the poison of 31 species of spiders of the genus Latrodectus (karakurt).
A neurotoxin that causes the release of acetylcholine, norepinephrine and other mediators from presynaptic endings, followed by depletion of their reserves.
At the time of the bite, an instant burning pain is most often felt (in some sources, the bite is painless), after 15-30 minutes it spreads throughout the body. Usually patients complain of unbearable pain in the abdomen, lower back, chest. Characterized by sharp abdominal muscles. Shortness of breath, palpitations, increased heart rate, dizziness, headache, tremor, vomiting, pallor or flushing of the face, sweating, a feeling of heaviness in the thoracic and epigastric regions, exophthalmos and dilated pupils. The face becomes bluish. Priapism, bronchospasm, urinary retention and defecation are also characteristic. Psychomotor agitation in the later stages of poisoning is replaced by deep depression, blackout of consciousness, and delirium. Deaths have been reported in humans and farm animals. After 3-5 days, the skin becomes covered with a rash, and the condition of the victim improves somewhat. Recovery begins in 2-3 weeks, but for a long time he feels general weakness.
Karakurts ("black widows") live in tropical, subtropical and even temperate latitudes on all continents except Antarctica. Only females are dangerous for them (their body size is up to 2 cm). Males are much smaller (0.5 cm) and are not able to bite through human skin. The toxicity of the poison has a pronounced seasonal dependence: September is about ten times more powerful than May.
Antidote: antikarakurt serum.
Alpha Conotoxin (0.012 mg/kg)
Source: component of the complex venom of the mollusk Conus geographus (geographical cone).
A neurotoxin that blocks H-cholinergic receptors in muscles and peripheral nerves.
Cones are very active when touched in their habitat. Their toxic apparatus consists of a poisonous gland connected by a duct to a hard proboscis with a radula-grater located at the wide end of the shell, with sharp spikes that replace the teeth of the mollusk. If you take the shell in your hands, the mollusk instantly pushes the radula and sticks spikes into the body. The injection is accompanied by acute, leading to loss of consciousness pain, numbness of the fingers, strong heartbeat, shortness of breath, and sometimes paralysis. In the Pacific Islands, shell collectors have been reported to have died from cone stings.
The cone shells are 15-20 cm long. The habitat is the eastern and northern coasts of Australia, the eastern coast of Southeast Asia and China, and the Central Pacific region.
Antidote A: There is no antidote. The only measure is profuse bleeding from the injection site.
Chiriquitotoxin (0.01 mg/kg)
Source: Produced by the skin of the toad Atelopus chiriquiensis.
A structural analog of tetrodotoxin, it differs only in the replacement of the CH2OH group with a radical that has not yet been identified. Neurotoxin blocks sodium and potassium channels in the membranes of nerve endings.
Causes disorders of coordination of movements, convulsions, incomplete paralysis of the limbs.
Small (males - about 3 cm, females - 3.5-5 cm) toads with the beautiful name of chirikita are found on the isthmus between North and South America - in Panama and Costa Rica. The species is under threat of extinction. The toxin is produced by the skin of chirkit, and the toxicity, we recall, was evaluated when injected intramuscularly.
Antidote
Titiutoxin (0.009 mg/kg)
Source: one of the components of the venom of the yellow fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus australis).
Neurotoxin slows down the inactivation of fast sodium channels of electrically excitable membranes, which leads to the development of persistent depolarization.
The venom of the yellow fat-tailed scorpion is produced in two enlarged glands located just behind the sting, which looks like a thorn at the end of the tail. It is they who give the scorpions the appearance of "fat men". It differs from other scorpions in the color of the sting - from dark brown to black. The venom of the fat-tailed scorpion is so toxic that it can even kill an adult human. It feeds mainly on small insects such as locusts or beetles, but can easily deal with small lizards or mice. As soon as the victim ceases to resist, the scorpion dismembers the body into small parts with the help of sharp claws.
Up to 80% of all serious poisonings and up to 95% of deaths from scorpion stings are associated with this type of scorpion.
Androctonus australis - medium-sized scorpions up to 10 cm long. They do not have Australia: australis in Latin is “southern”, and androctonus in Greek is “killer”. They are found in the Middle East, in the north and southeast of Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Iraq, Iran, etc.).
Antidote: antitoxic serum "Antiscorpion". As a slightly less effective replacement, Antikarakurt serum can be used.
Tetrodotoxin (0.008 mg/kg)
Source: produced and accumulated in the tissues of fish of the Tetraodontidae family, the mollusk BabyIonia japonica and a close relative of the chirikit, the toad Atelopus varius.
Neurotoxin selectively blocks sodium channels in the membranes of nerve endings.
It is a dangerous poison that, once ingested, causes severe pain, convulsions, and usually death.
Some species of the Tetraodontidae family (four-toothed, they are also pufferfish, dogfish and pufferfish) reach a length of up to half a meter. Both these fish and the dish made from them are called "puffer" in Japan. The poison is found in the liver, milk, caviar, intestines and skin, so only specially trained chefs are allowed to cook fugu, who remove the poisonous organs according to a separate method for each type. If pufferfish meat is prepared by ignorant amateurs, then in 60 cases out of 100, trying such a dish leads to death. And so far, such cases are not uncommon. According to a Japanese proverb, "He who eats fugu is a fool, but he who does not eat is also a fool."
The habitat of the puffer fish is from the northern coast of Australia to the northern coast of Japan and from the southern coast of China to the eastern islands of Oceania.
The mollusk Babylonia japonica has a very beautiful shell of a classic spiral shape 40-85 mm long. Habitat - the coast of the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan and Japan.
Toads Atelopus varius (variegated Atelopus) are small, 2.5-4 cm, and if you are lucky, you can stumble upon them only in the jungles of Panama and Costa Rica.
Antidote: there is no specific antidote, detoxification and symptomatic therapy is carried out.
Typoxin (tipotoxin) (0.002 mg/kg)
Source: component of the venom of the most venomous snake on earth, the Australian taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus). Before the development of an antidote (1955), up to 90% of those bitten died.
A presynaptic toxin that has phospholipase activity and causes a characteristic release of mediators in the conduction of a nerve impulse (weakening of secretion, intensification and, finally, its complete inhibition). It has neurotoxic and myotoxic effects.
Taipan is very aggressive. When threatened, it twists and vibrates with the tip of its tail. Snakes are most aggressive during the mating and skinning season, but that doesn't mean they are peaceful and docile at other times.
Taipans reach a length of 2 to 3.6 m. They are distinguished by a very aggressive character, but, fortunately, they are found only in sparsely populated areas on the northeast coast of Australia and southern New Guinea.
Antidote: antitoxic taipan serum.
Batrachotoxin (0.002 mg/kg)
Source: skin secretion of leaf-climbing frogs of the genus Phyllobates.
It has a strong cardiotoxic effect, causing extrasystole and ventricular fibrillation, paralyzes the respiratory muscles, myocardium and skeletal muscles. Persistently and irreversibly increases the permeability of the resting membrane for sodium ions, blocks axonal transport.
The poisonousness of these frogs is such that you can even touch them. Skin secretions of leafolases contain batrachotoxin alkaloids, which, when ingested, cause arrhythmia, fibrillation, and cardiac arrest.
Tree frogs do not exceed 5 cm in length, usually brightly colored in gold, black-orange and black-yellow tones (warning coloration). If you are brought to South America from Nicaragua to Colombia, do not grab them with your hands.
Antidote: there is no specific antidote, detoxification and symptomatic therapy is carried out. A strong antagonist is tetrodotoxin - wedge wedge ...
Palitoxin (0.00015 mg/kg)
Source: contained in rays of six-rayed coral polyps Palythoa toxica, P. tuberculosa, P. caribacorum.
cytotoxic poison. Damages the sodium-potassium pump of cells, disrupting the ion concentration gradient between the cell and the extracellular environment. Causes pain in the chest, as in angina pectoris, tachycardia, shortness of breath, hemolysis. Death occurs within the first few minutes after a polyp injection.
The body of these polyps - the inhabitants of the coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific Oceans - does not consist of eight, as in ordinary corals, but of six or more than eight rays located on several corollas, usually a multiple of six.
Antidote: there is no specific antidote, symptomatic therapy is carried out. Animal studies show that simple vasodilators like papaverine or isosorbide dinitrate may be effective.
Diamphotoxin (0.000025 Kmg/kg)
Source: the most powerful Poison of animal origin on our planet, contained in the hemolymph ("blood") of the larvae of the South African leaf beetle of the genus Diamphidia (D. Klocusta, D. Knigro-ornata, D. Kfemoralis), belonging to the same family with all known pests - colorado potato beetle. Designed solely for protection from predators.
A single-chain polypeptide that opens all sodium-potassium channels in the cell membrane for input, as a result of which the cell dies due to intracellular electrolyte imbalance. It has a neurotoxic and especially pronounced hemolytic effect, in a short period to reduce the content of hemoglobin in the blood by 75% due to the massive destruction of red blood cells. Bushmen still use crushed diamphidian larvae: an arrow lubricated with this slurry can knock down an adult 500-kilogram giraffe.
Adult beetles reach 10-12 mm in length. Females lay their eggs on the branches of Commiphora plants. The larvae burrow into the ground, pupate, and develop to a pupa in a few years. Therefore, finding Diamphidia cocoons is not a problem for hunters.
Antidote: there is no specific antidote. Carry out detoxification and symptomatic therapy.