The variety of poisons and their mechanism of action. Poisonous plant ten: investigation Plant poisons

Planet Earth is full of many plants. Scientists count about 300,000 species, and only less than 1% of them are considered poisonous.

Depending on the degree of toxicity, they are divided into:

• poisonous;
• highly poisonous;
• deadly poisonous;

The active dangerous principle is different connections related to alkaloids, glycosides, resins, acids etc.

The pioneer in the study of plant poisons was Zertuner, who discovered the most popular drug - morphine. IN early XIX century, strychnine (the deadly nut) was discovered, and almost immediately caffeine, quinine, and nicotine became known. The number of discoveries only increased from year to year. The results were used not only in medical purposes, but also for murders.

The most dangerous plant poisons and plants

Plants are considered poisonous; after contact with them, health deterioration occurs; they secrete plant poisons.

Amatoxin

Amatoxin is found in mushrooms of the genus lepiota and some of their subspecies, for example, the toadstool contains such poison.

The poison, entering the body, is not destroyed by heat treatment. Accordingly, if a person cooks or fries such a mushroom, he will still receive a dose of poison.

This poison blocks RNA polymerase and stops protein synthesis in the cell. It enters the liver and kidneys, causing their cells to die in a few days.

The antidote is in the form of penicillin, but this does not mean that it will work and that death will be avoided. Each case is individual, depending on the concentration of the poison and many other factors.

Ricin

A popular plant poison for military special operations.

The most “useful” poison for the military is ricin, which can paralyze or lead to death. Contained in the seed of the castor bean, from which castor oil is made. Manufactured using simple technology.

Another purpose of the plant is to produce poison from the seeds. The output is a white powder, easily soluble in water.

Poisoning occurs when inhaling the dry mixture, injecting it, or consuming it with liquid.

If you don't provide it on time necessary help- the person will die after much suffering. If you suspect poisoning, immediately drink a large amount of water, coal, rice broth and a little soda alternately. If possible, seek medical help.

Be careful that your child does not accidentally eat a castor bean seed. If such a situation occurs, call an ambulance immediately!

Muscarine

The well-known fly agaric contains the most dangerous poison - muscarine. Just 3 mg of this substance can cause human death.

But the course of treatment will take a long time, almost 2 weeks. After all, the poison stimulates the endings of the vagus nerve, as a result of which the activity of the secretory glands increases. It becomes difficult to breathe, the pulse is weakly palpable, and dizziness is felt.

The erroneous misconception that fly agaric is the most dangerous mushroom. Cases of death from fly agaric poisoning are not as frequent as from the consumption of the same pale toadstool. Maybe because it is difficult to confuse it with other mushrooms. By the way, forest animals are treated with fly agaric.

Curare is a favorite poison of hunters

Curare is considered the most strong poison on effects on animals or humans. It was known back in the times of South American tribes. Used when hunting wild animals.

Receive from different plants, therefore the strength of its action is also different:

• The most powerful mixture from the bark of the poisonous Schomburg strychnos. Application: hunting animals and military purposes.
• From the bark of Strychnos castelniaeana Wedd or Chondrodendron - a less toxic substance is obtained, used when hunting birds and small animals.
• The poison from Chondrodendron tomentosum is less dangerous. Purpose: hunting.

If ingested, the poison blocks motor activity and leads to respiratory arrest and death..

They learned to use curare poison in small quantities as an anesthesia.

Curare poison replaced narcotic substances for anesthesia. Medicine after this began to be divided into the discovery of poison and after.

The antidote is any inhibitors.

Quinine is the main alkaloid

Quinine is a poison obtained from the bark of the cinchona tree. The most powerful protoplasmic poison.

With minor poisoning, dizziness, agitation, and foggy consciousness occur As a rule, certain organs are affected. For example, if the organs of vision are affected, vasospasm, pale nipples, amblyopia, etc. will certainly occur.

10 grams of poison is enough to cause death.

The antidote is tannin, used for gastric lavage in a 0.5-2% solution.

Spotted hemlock - one step from benefit to harm

On the one hand, the plant of the umbrella family is often used in conjunction with traditional medicine in the treatment of cancer.

On the other hand, the harm lies in the fact that the poison from this plant accumulates in the liver, after which it destroys it forever.

Hemlock antidote is a mixture of 5% glucose in a volume of 0.5 liters and 1% novocaine 30 ml.

It is administered intravenously using a dropper. Slowly and fully.

Hydrocyanic acid is in your favorite compote!

Everyone loves compote, apricots, cherries, cherries, but no one ever thought that the depths of stone-shaped plants contain a deadly poison!

Cylinic acid was created by nature in order to protect plants from pests.

In addition, the concentration of such poison is in tobacco smoke, on discharge industrial enterprises. If we talk about the most dangerous nuclei, then main role allocated to bitter almonds. Next comes the bird cherry, and then the peach family.

Do not confuse with sweet almonds - bitter, or wild, almonds are grown for medicinal purposes. And we eat sweets.

Due to this composition, bird cherry berries and compote are prohibited for pregnant women., and everyone else should not overuse berry compotes.

Frozen berries containing hydrocyanic acid are prohibited from being eaten after a year!

Spotted hemlock, horse meat

One of the most powerful plant poisons. Outwardly it resembles white carrots, horseradish. Therefore, it is easy to confuse them with safe products.

The effect of the poisonous substance of the plant begins with such signs as excessive salivation, blurred vision, nausea, and after a while the person becomes paralyzed. Death occurs after diaphragmatic paralysis.

There is no antidote. According to one version, Socrates was poisoned with horse meat.

Other poisons not included in the list

In addition to the considered plant the most dangerous poisons, there are many others, no less popular and used.

These include:

• Aconite.
• Morphine.
• Grain overwintered under snow.
• Strychnine.
• Heroin.
• Cocaine.

For what purposes are deadly poisons used? plant origin:

• hunting;
• military purpose;
• contamination of food, perfumes, personal hygiene products;
• medicine;
• industrial and domestic use.

General assistance for poisoning

• Avoid human exposure to poison. Find out the cause of the poisoning.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• If possible, give Activated carbon.
• Call immediately medical care. Life can count in minutes!

The natural world has thought of everything long ago. To protect themselves and ensure survival, not only animals, but also plants are endowed with the ability to self-preserve.

That is why many of them are fraught with danger, threat human life. Humanity uses some of these poisons for humane purposes, makes medicines, and uses them in medicine as anesthesia. Some became assistants in wars and crime.

To survive and know what measures to take in case of poisoning, you should carefully study the plant poisons that are easily accessible in your country, city, or on your street.

Adults and children, not knowing what danger this or that plant poses, can accidentally become poisoned by a fruit or seed. Be careful, take care of yourself!

It is difficult to rank plant poisons, because even the same species growing in different conditions may not accumulate different substances in the same way. Including toxins. It also matters which part of the plant is eaten. Nevertheless, a conditionally average statistical rating can be compiled if you find a comparable indicator. We'll take a semi-lethal dose ( DL 50)* for laboratory mice that were injected with poison through the mouth, which is logical, because no one has heard of plants biting animals or people.

5th place. Cicutoxin
Veh poisonous, aka hemlock (Cicuta virosa)

Alcohol. Formula: C17H22O2
DL 50= 50 mg/kg (mice, oral)

Poisoning occurs when eating the rhizomes of the poisonous plant, including dried ones. Often confused with spotted hemlock, which is used as a “folk natural” remedy for many diseases, although it is also poisonous.

The centrally acting poison, neurotoxin, is an antagonist of one of the most important neurotransmitters - gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Symptoms of poisoning develop within 5–10 minutes. First, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, general weakness, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and pale skin appear. Later, convulsions appear, which remain the leading part of the clinical picture. Death can occur against their background - due to suffocation.

There is no specific antidote. Treatment is symptomatic, aimed primarily at stopping seizures.

4th place. Ricin
Castor bean (Ricinus communis)

A protein consisting of two subunits, which individually are non-toxic, only the whole molecule is capable of penetrating into cells and producing a toxic effect.

DL 50= 0.3 mg/kg (mice, orally). Inhalation of an aerosol of crude ricin has a DL50 comparable to that of the organophosphorus agent sarin, 0.004 mg/kg (mice, inhalation), and has therefore been considered a potential chemical weapon. Not suitable for military personnel due to instability in water and light. Possible agent for targeted terrorist attacks.

Most often, poisoning occurs after eating large quantity castor beans containing from 0.5 to 1.5% ricin.

Ricin stops protein synthesis in cell ribosomes. This process is slow but irreversible.

Mushrooms do not belong to the plant kingdom, however, they also get into food and can cause poisoning. The most powerful mushroom poisons are muscarine (red fly agaric, DL 50= 0.2 mg/kg), alpha-amanitin, (pale grebe, DL 50= 1 mg/kg) and gyromitrin (lines, DL 50= 10 mg/kg).

The first manifestations of poisoning occur on average after 15 hours, sometimes the latent period can last up to 3 days. The first characteristic symptom is hemorrhages in the retina. Then nausea and vomiting follow, severe pain in the abdominal area, convulsions, prostration and collapse.

As a rule, death occurs after 6–8 days, the cause is multiple organ failure.
There is no specific antidote; treatment is limited to alleviating suffering.

3rd place. Aconitine
Plants of the genus fighter, aka aconite (Aconite), V middle lane most common Aconitum stoerckeanum, Aconitum napellus, Aconitum variegatum

Alkaloid. Formula C34H47NO11
DL 50= 0.25 mg/kg (mice, oral)

Poisoning can result from the use of more than 25 species of plants of the genus aconite (fighter) for “traditional medicinal purposes.” Even dried leaves and roots contain sufficient amounts of poison.

Aconitine excites and subsequently paralyzes the endings of sensory nerves.

The clinical picture of poisoning develops immediately. It begins with generalized skin itching. Then the nature of breathing changes: first it becomes faster and then slows down. Body temperature decreases, the skin becomes covered with profuse sweat. There is pain in the area of ​​the heart and interruptions in its functioning. Later, convulsions, paralysis and adynamia occur.

Death can occur within a few minutes - from suffocation as a result of paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

The strongest natural poison is a protein neurotoxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum serovar D. For this botulinum toxin DL 50= 0.0000004 mg/kg.

2nd place. Veratrine
On the territory of the Russian Federation - in white hellebore ( Veratrum album L.) and black hellebore ( Veratrum nigrum L.)

Alkaloid. Formula: C32H49O9N
DL 50= 0.003 mg/kg (mice, oral).

Veratrine acts as a neurotoxin by opening sodium channels in cell membranes wide open.

The clinical picture develops in the following sequence: first appear dizziness, darkening of the eyes, uneven pulse, drooling, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea. Then - weakness, body temperature drops, breathing becomes difficult, convulsions and collapse occur.

Death can occur from cardiac arrest or paralysis of the respiratory center.

There is no specific antidote. Treatment is symptomatic.

1st place. Konyin
Spotted hemlock (Conium maculatum)

Alkaloid. Formula: C8H17N
DL 50= 0.002 mg/kg (mice, oral). The strongest plant poison.

Accidental poisoning occurs when eating the rhizome, which is confused with horseradish, and may be mistaken for white carrots by children. Less often - when using leaves similar to parsley. There is an opinion that the poison of this plant was used to execute Ancient Greece and it was he who caused the death of Socrates.

Coniine blocks H-cholinergic receptors of the postsynaptic membrane of neuromuscular synapses. That is, this is the Russian analogue of the world famous plant poison curare.

The clinical picture develops quickly and begins with profuse drooling and blurred vision. Nausea and vomiting may occur, but gradually developing skeletal muscle paralysis comes to the fore. It is ascending in nature, that is, it begins with the muscles of the foot and lower leg and gradually reaches the diaphragm. This makes it impossible breathing movements. Consciousness is usually preserved until the last moment.

Death occurs from suffocation due to paralysis of the diaphragm.

There is no specific antidote. Treatment is symptomatic, including transfer of the patient to artificial ventilation lungs (ventilator).

———
*D.L.(from ancient Greek δόσις and lat. lētālis) 50 - the average dose of a substance that causes the death of half of the subjects in the experimental group. In Russian-language literature it is also designated as LD 50.

It is difficult to imagine how many mysteries the Russian land conceals, and how many dangers it conceals is even more difficult to imagine. We will talk about the most dangerous and poisonous plants growing in Russia.

In fact, plant poison, if collected on a mass scale, could partially replace chemical and biological weapons... and even simple weapons in some cases. There are stories when dedicated people used plant poisons for inhumane, selfish purposes, for example, eliminating an enemy.

In Ancient Greece, death sentences were carried out using the juice of hemlock (a plant that, by the way, is quite common in Russia). Socrates, according to available information, was sent to the Other World with the help of hemlock juice, according to other sources - spotted hemlock. Both plants live safely in Russia.

As legends say, before, when villages were captured by enemies, Russians fleeing to save their lives poured juices into barrels of wine and juices stored in cellars. poisonous plants- belladonna, henbane, etc.

Many herbs have healing properties, but there are those that can bring not only healing, but also death. The paradox is that almost all poisonous plants are used for the preparation of medicines along with useful ones, only the raw materials are carefully dosed.

As they say (the words of Paracelsus, the brilliant physician of all times): “Only the dose makes a substance a poison or a medicine.”

Very often, the juices and raw materials of poisonous plants are used to treat the heart, stop bleeding, and relieve pain.

As antidotes (naturally for mild poisoning, and not when a person is convulsing) they used potato juice (and also the juices of various vegetables, berries: sorrel, currants, beets, cucumber, cabbage, cranberries), whipped egg white with raw milk, powder from dried orchis tubers, valerian root, elecampane root.

In total, about 10 thousand poisonous plants are known in the world, many of them grow in the tropics and subtropics, but on Russian soil, flowers and greens are found almost all the time, capable of causing harm to humans under certain conditions. It’s just that we don’t eat or pick up all the plants – this saves us from the consequences. However, when visiting the forest, especially with children, you should not forget how much danger can lurk among the grass, because it is children who often suffer from plant poisons.

Let's look at the most common poisonous plants in Russia.

In the photo the veh is poisonous

Vekh poisonous (or hemlock)

“Veh is poisonous (the spelling and pronunciation of vekh is allowed) (lat. Cicúta virósa) - a poisonous plant; genus species Milestones of the family Umbrella, common in Europe.

Other names: hemlock, cat parsley, wood pig, omeg, omezhnik, water rabies, water hemlock, mutnik, dog angelica, gorigol, pig louse.”

The active toxic substance is cicutoxin. When taking hemlock juice in non-lethal doses (up to 100 grams of rhizome), symptoms of intestinal poisoning begin within a few minutes, then foam at the mouth, unsteady gait, and dizziness. When taking higher doses - convulsions leading to paralysis and death.

Hemlock can easily be confused with safer plants - this is its main danger. The taste is reminiscent of parsley, rutabaga, celery, it is sweet and cloying, which again makes hemlock harmless.

In Russia it is found in nature almost everywhere. The most common-looking plant, which is very easy to confuse with a harmless one.

Pictured is a hemlock

Hemlock spotted

“Spotted hemlock (lat. Conīum maculātum) is a biennial herbaceous plant, a species of the genus Hemlock (Conium) of the Umbrella family (Apiaceae).

In Russia it is found throughout almost the entire European part, the Caucasus, and Western Siberia.

Poisonous properties are determined by the alkaloids coniine (the most poisonous), methylkoniine, conhydrin, pseudoconhydrin, coniceine. Hemlock fruits contain up to 2% alkaloids, leaves - up to 0.1%, flowers - up to 0.24%, seeds - up to 2%.

Coniine is the most poisonous substance in hemlock; when taken in large doses, it first causes agitation and then stops breathing.

“The first symptoms of poisoning: nausea, drooling, dizziness, difficulty swallowing, speech, pale skin. Initial excitement is accompanied by convulsions and turns into depression of the central nervous system. Characteristic is ascending paralysis, starting with lower limbs accompanied by loss of skin sensitivity. The pupils are dilated and do not respond to light. Increasing suffocation can lead to respiratory arrest. When in contact with skin, the sap causes dermatitis.”

Milk with a solution of potassium permanganate is considered an antidote - Pink colour. To “die” hemlock, you need to eat a lot - a couple of kilograms; there are known cases of the death of starved cattle. But poisons isolated from leaves and parts of the plant can be fatal in much smaller quantities.

However, hemlock is also used as a healing plant; it is considered almost sacred for traditional healers - they treat cancer, heart problems, etc.

Externally it looks like hemlock, there are spots on the stem, which is why it is named accordingly.

In the photo there is a poisonous buttercup

Poisonous buttercup

“Poisonous buttercup (lat. Ranunculus sceleratus) is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant; species of the genus Buttercup (Ranunculus) of the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Very poisonous."

There are many types of buttercup, the poisonous one is similar to the safer species.

Active toxic substances: gamma-lactones (ranunculin and protoanemonin), flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin, etc.).

There are known cases of animal poisoning, and the milk of cows that have eaten buttercups is also poisonous.

In people, when the pulp from parts of the plant gets on damaged skin, burns appear; if it gets on the mucous membranes, it causes burns. sharp pain, spasms of the larynx. When taken orally in small doses, hemorrhagic damage to the gastric tract occurs. With more impressive doses and constant intoxication with poisons, cardiac dysfunction, kidney damage, and vasoconstriction occur.

In the photo henbane

Henbane

“Henbane (lat. Hyoscýamus) is a genus of herbaceous plants of the Solanaceae family.”

Active toxic substances: atropine, hyoscyamine, scopolamine.

“Symptoms of poisoning (confusion, fever, rapid heartbeat, dry mouth, blurred vision, etc.) appear within 15-20 minutes.”

All parts of the plant are poisonous.

Pictured is belladonna

Belladonna

This title poisonous flower received from the formation of two Italian words " beautiful woman"(Bella Donna), since Italian women dropped the juice of the plant into their eyes to dilate the pupils and give their eyes shine.

In case of mild poisoning (occurring within 10-20 minutes), tachycardia, delirium, agitation begin, pupils dilate, and photophobia. In case of severe poisoning - convulsions, heat, a fall blood pressure, paralysis of the respiratory center, vascular insufficiency.

In the photo there is a raven's eye

Crow's eye four-leaf

“Crow's eye four-leafed, or Crow's eye ordinary (lat. Pāris quadrifōlia) is a species of herbaceous plants from the genus Crow's eye of the Melanthiaceae family (previously this genus was classified in the Liliaceae family). Poisonous plant."

The plant is deadly poisonous. Children often suffer, since the berry is quite beautiful and attractive to look at.

“The leaves act on the central nervous system, the fruits on the heart, the rhizomes cause vomiting. Symptoms of poisoning: abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, attacks of dizziness, convulsions, disruption of the heart until it stops. The use of the plant for medicinal purposes is prohibited."

Pictured is castor bean

Castor bean

« Castor bean (Ricinus commúnis) is an oilseed, medicinal and ornamental garden plant.” Used to decorate parks. According to sources, deaths from eating parts of the plant are rare, but castor beans are considered a very poisonous species.

The active toxic substances are ricin, ricinin.

« All parts of the plant contain the protein ricin and the alkaloid ricinin, poisonous to humans and animals (LD50 about 500 mcg). Ingestion of plant seeds causes enteritis, vomiting and colic, bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, water-electrolyte imbalance and death after 5-7 days. The damage to health is irreparable; survivors cannot fully restore their health, which is explained by the ability of ricin to irreversibly destroy proteins in human tissue. Inhalation of ricin powder similarly affects the lungs.”

It is amazing that castor oil, which is so popular in medicine, is made from castor beans. To neutralize the poison, the raw materials are treated with hot steam.

Castor bean is considered one of the most poisonous plants in the world.

In the photo Lobel's hellebore

Lobel's Hellebore

“Lobel's hellebore, or Lobeliev's hellebore (lat. Verátrum lobeliánum) is a species of plant of the genus Chemeritsa of the Melanthiaceae family. Medicinal, poisonous, insecticidal plant."

Contains toxic alkaloids: yervin, rubijervin, isorubijervin, germine, germidine, protoveratrine.

“Hereboil is a very poisonous plant, its roots contain 5-6 alkaloids, of which the most poisonous is protoveratrine, which can suppress the central nervous system and has a harmful effect on the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system.”

If the plant is consumed internally, the throat begins to burn, a severe runny nose appears, then psychomotor agitation, weakened cardiac activity, hypotension, bradycardia, shock and death (when consuming high doses of root juice), usually consciousness remains until death - at high concentrations of poison, death can coming in a couple of hours.

In the photo there is dope

Datura common (smelly)

Toxic substances: atropine, hyoscyamine, scopolamine.

“Symptoms of poisoning: motor agitation, sharp dilation of the pupils, redness of the face and neck, hoarseness, thirst, headache. Subsequently, speech impairment, coma, hallucinations, paralysis.”

In the photo aconite

Wolfsbane, or fighter

One of the most poisonous plants. Extremely dangerous even when used externally.

The active toxic substances are aconitine, zongorin.

The taste is burning and immediately causes neurological disorders, including tachycardia, tremor of the limbs, dilated pupils, headache. Then convulsions, clouding of consciousness, delirium, breathing problems, and if help is not provided - death.

In the photo there is a wolfberry

Wolf's bast, or wolf's berry

For a fatal outcome, according to information from medical sources, it is enough for an adult to consume 15 berries, for a child 5. Causes severe poisoning, and death if assistance is not provided.

Active toxic substances: diterpenoids: dafnetoxin, meserein; coumarins - dafnin, dafnetin.

In the photo there is a wild rosemary

Marsh rosemary

The active toxic substances are ledol, cymol, palustrol, arbutin.

Negatively affects the central nervous system.

“Symptoms: dry mouth, numbness of the tongue, speech impairment, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, general weakness, lack of coordination of movements, clouding of consciousness, increased or decreased heart rate, convulsions, agitation; after 30–120 minutes, central nervous system paralysis is possible.”

In small doses it is used as a medicine for lung diseases.

In the photo, autumn crocus

Autumn colchicum

Parts of the flower contain a deadly poison - colchicine, which acts like arsenic. The process of damage to the body can take up to several days and weeks. Even if it comes into contact with the skin, the poison causes severe burns.

In the photo there is an oleander

Oleander

In Russia, the plant is found mainly growing decoratively in offices and apartments. A beautiful, but very poisonous shrub.

“Oleander juice, taken internally, causes severe colic in humans and animals, vomiting and diarrhea, and then leads to serious problems in the activity of the heart and central nervous system. The cardiac glycosides it contains can cause cardiac arrest. Due to the toxicity of the plant, it is not recommended to place it in children's institutions."

Dieffenbachia in the photo

Dieffenbachia

Widespread in Russia indoor plant. Mainly causes dermatitis. However, there are also known deaths from ingesting the plant juice.

Plants such as sweet clover, tansy, lily of the valley, wormwood, and sage are less toxic than, for example, aconite, but in large doses and with constant use they can cause irreversible damage to the body.

For example, lily of the valley juice affects the heart muscle, sage and wormwood contain substances that can cause psychosis, tansy is very toxic when taken in large doses. Sweet clover contains the poison coumarin, dicoumarin, which when taken in large doses prevents blood clotting and causes bleeding.

Cerberus is also grown in Russia - one of the most beautiful flowers with a jasmine aroma. True, only in a decorative form, on window sills. In hot countries, this plant is called the “suicide tree”: parts of the flower contain an extremely dangerous poison, cerberin, a glycoside that blocks the conduction of electrical impulses and disrupts the heart rhythm. Even the smoke from burning plant leaves is dangerous.

In ancient times, when there were no pistols and modern technologies, natural poisons were used with might and main to eliminate enemies. They lubricated the tips of bow arrows with the juice of poisonous plants, which guaranteed the death of the enemy, and they actively used the same aconite.

Poisonous plants actually grow everywhere in Russia. Their danger lies mainly not in the fact that they grow everywhere - after all, people do not eat them en masse - but in the fact that they are similar to others, edible, and in the fact that many are beautiful: for example, they are simply confused with useful plants, which is fraught.

Poisonous These are plants whose contact with or ingestion, even in small quantities, causes health problems.

There are:

1. Actually poisonous plants:

Toxicity is a permanent or temporary sign of their normal development;

Toxicity is characteristic of the entire plant species or genus;

The toxicity of the plant manifests itself in the presence of specific conditions.

2. Conditionally poisonous plants:

Toxicity is a random trait, usually not characteristic of normal development;

Toxicity occurs due to various circumstances in an individual representative of a species or genus that is safe for humans;

Toxicity refers to random properties.

According to selective toxicity, plants can be divided into:

1. Plants, in the clinical picture of poisoning of which the leading syndrome is damage to the central nervous system:

a) with anticholinergic syndrome: henbane, datura, belladonna.

b) with nicotine-like syndrome: poisonous hemlock, spotted hemlock, horsetail.

2. Plants that cause predominant damage to the heart (plants containing cardiac glycosides): foxglove, lily of the valley, adonis, hellebore.

3. Plants that cause predominant liver damage: pubescent heliotrope, crossweed, pink bitterling.

4. Plants that cause skin lesions: hogweed, wolf's bast, ranunculus, spotted hemlock.

5. Plants that cause predominant damage to the gastrointestinal tract: colchicum, wolf's bast, castor bean (Turkish hemp, castor oil), buckthorn, spurge, nightshade.

6. Plants that have a toxic effect on several organs and systems simultaneously:

Aconite - on the central nervous system and heart;

Lobel's hellebore - on the heart and gastrointestinal tract ;

Nightshade is bittersweet, wolf's bast - on the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system.

The toxicity of plants to mammals, humans and other living beings is realized through the production of special chemical compounds- phytotoxins. Phytotoxins are substances with different structures and unequal biological activity. Being products of plant metabolism, phytotoxins sometimes perform protective functions, scaring away potential consumers, however, for most of the above compounds, their significance for the life of the plant remains unknown. Among the phytotoxins there are various classes: alkaloids, organic acids, terpenoids, lipids, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, coumarins, anthraquinones, etc.

Alkaloids(from the Latin term “alkali” - “alkali”, which, in turn, comes from the Arabic al qualja - “plant ash”) - the most numerous phytotoxins, which are nitrogen-containing organic heterocyclic bases. In plants, alkaloids are usually found in the form of salts of organic acids - oxalic, malic, tartaric, citric, etc. Currently, about 5,000 alkaloids are known, many of which are highly toxic to mammals and humans. As a rule, alkaloids are colorless crystalline compounds with a bitter taste, practically insoluble in water, but highly soluble in organic solvents. Alkaloid salts, on the contrary, are highly soluble in water, but do not dissolve in organic solvents. The selectivity of the effects of alkaloids on various organs and systems allows many of them to be used as medicines. Alkaloids are represented by various groups of chemical compounds that differ in the nature of the heterocycle (Table 32).

Table 32 – Main types of alkaloids and plants producing them

The toxic properties of the same plants are not the same in their effects on various groups animals. Belladonna and Datura, which are highly toxic to humans, are completely harmless to rodents, canines, chickens, thrushes and other birds, Colorado potato beetle, but cause poisoning of ducks and chickens. Poisonous berries Lily of the valley, eaten even in large quantities, does not cause poisoning in foxes and is used by many canines to get rid of helminths. Mistletoe fruits, which are poisonous to humans, are distributed exclusively by birds. Colchicum does not have a toxic effect on frogs (in experiment). Sensitivity to opium in a horse and a dog is 10 times less than in a person, in a pigeon - 100 times, in a frog - 1000 times.

Many products of secondary plant metabolism are poisonous to insects, but do not cause poisoning in higher animals. This specialization occurs because insects represent the largest group of animals that damage plants, and are capable (unlike herbivorous mammals, etc.) of completely exterminating entire plant populations. Therefore, the entire mechanism of toxic plant defense was aimed primarily at combating this group of animals. An example of specialized insecticides are pyrethrins.

Poisonous plants are the cause of most cases of poisoning in humans and animals. In this case, it is especially worth highlighting the poisoning of children who eat attractive fruits, juicy roots, bulbs, and stems. So-called drug poisoning should be considered as a special form. misuse and overdose of drugs of lily of the valley, foxglove, adonis, valerian, hellebore, lemongrass, ginseng, belladonna, aconite, male fern, ergot, etc.

Plant poisoning for the most part arise as food (alimentary), having a general resorptive nature.

Less commonly, toxic effects are caused by inhalation of toxic secretions (remote poisoning by wild rosemary, ash, conifers, rhododendrons, aroids). In addition, contact damage to the skin and mucous membranes may occur, occurring as severe allergic reactions (nettle, hogweed, ash, euphorbia, mustard, hemlock, black crow, wolf's bast, toxicodendron, rue, mad cucumber, thuja, some primroses). There are also industrial poisonings of people of a respiratory contact nature during the cultivation, procurement and processing of plant raw materials (tobacco, belladonna, hellebore, ranunculaceae, red pepper, celandine, etc.), processing or chemical processing of wood (all conifers, toxicodendron, oak, beech, alder, horse chestnut, white acacia, euonymus). Known Occupational Illness cabinetmakers associated with the production of yew veneer.

Sometimes poisoning from plant products is associated with eating honey (honey can also exhibit toxic properties due to the concentration of man-made pollutants in it from environment(for example, honey collected from white acacia flowers in roadside plantings) contaminated with poisonous pollen of plants (ledums, rhododendrons, chamedafne, cherry laurel, wolf's bast, hellebore, ranunculaceae, henbane, datura, belladonna, tobacco, avran, anabasis, crow's eye, chickweed), as well as milk (especially suckling young animals) and meat after animals have eaten toxic plants (buttercups, ephedra, yew, saplings, poppies, colchicum, cotton cake - milk poisoning; hellebore, pikulnik, aconites - meat poisoning). Milk spoilage is also caused by bitter, aromatic, resin-bearing, siliceous and oxalate-containing plants - wormwood, tansy, pyrethrum, yarrow, horsetail, euphorbia (the name “euphorbia” is associated with the presence of poisonous milky sap in this plant, and not with the milk-producing agents erroneously attributed to it properties), dodder, maryanniki, pikulniki, lupine, wild onions, pepper knotweed (water pepper), sorrel (sorrel and sorrel, after being eaten by lactating animals, cause rapid coagulation of milk and poor knocking out of oil), sorrel, oak, junipers, mustard cruciferous, Lamiaceae. Poisoning can occur when eating grain and flour contaminated with ergot, cockle seeds, chaff, larkspur, pickleweed, henbane, heliotrope, snapdragon, rattles, trichodesma (the latter is capable of transmitting toxic substances directly to cereal grains). There are known cases of poisoning from blueberries, on which toxic ethereal secretions of wild rosemary have condensed (when grown together).

Respiratory (distant) poisoning can occur during prolonged exposure to thickets (or bouquets) of strong-smelling flowers (magnolias, lilies, rhododendrons, poppies, lupine, bird cherry, tuberose, etc.). They are accompanied by suffocation, headache and dizziness, sneezing, coughing, lacrimation, runny nose, general malaise (up to loss of consciousness - with prolonged contact).

Plant poisons, depending on the chemical nature of the compounds, differ in the selectivity of their toxic effects, affecting various organ systems.

Often, especially in severe cases, a general complex effect on the body appears, often accompanied by collapse and coma. The selective toxic effect of any poison is always detected earlier and is diagnosed according to the corresponding symptoms characteristic of this particular group of compounds.

However, many plants contain a whole complex of biologically active substances with different effects, some of which can sensitize the body to the effects of others. Severe irritation of the digestive tract with thioglycosides, saponins and some alkaloids promotes more intense absorption of other toxins. Some toxic substances have a cumulative effect, gradually accumulating in the body after repeated consumption of poisonous plants over a long period of time. Toxins of ephedra, bracken, pickleweed, foxglove, pigwort, etc. have a similar effect. Such a gradual accumulation of food toxins in the body poses a significant danger due to the possibility of poisoning unnoticed at first, the penetration of toxic substances into many organ systems and the occurrence of persistent long-term disorders.

The accumulation of phytotoxins in the animal’s body also causes the toxicity of animal products (meat, etc.). For example, animals usually do not eat plants that quickly become boring to them in one meal in toxic doses. However, the toxins contained in these plants can accumulate in the animal body gradually. Severe poisoning is known from pork, in the fat of which there was a gradual accumulation of active ingredients from pikulnik seeds. In addition, many people eat thin mushroom, considering it a completely edible mushroom, without presenting all possible dangers later, since the gradual accumulation in human body The toxic compounds of this fungus cause severe circulatory disorders. At the same time, the cumulative effect is especially dangerous because, while experiencing a one-time safe impact of one or another plant product, a person acquires unfounded confidence in its harmlessness with further use.

Sometimes damage to plants by biologically active substances appears after exposure of the animal organism to ultraviolet (and other longer wavelength) radiation. Plants increase the sensitivity of integument to ultraviolet radiation. This photosensitizing effect is exerted by the juice of many hogweeds when taken externally, and it also manifests itself when animals eat St. John's wort, Tribulus, buckwheat, millet, clovers, and muretia. White-colored animals and people with individual sensitivity (usually blonds, albinos, etc.) are predominantly affected.