Thursday, July 7, 2011

Toxins.Toxins.Toxins. 

What are toxins? 
      From the word itself, it seems like it is something harmful and may cause danger to a person. Now, let's see what are these toxins all about. 
      Toxins are poisonous substances that are produced by living organisms such as plants and animals. Poisonous as it says, and these can cause harm to a person when exposed with these toxins. Other organism are capable of producing toxins like bacteria, fungi and algae. Consist of amino acids and proteins.

Let's have a brief background about toxins. Let's see how are these connected to history.
"399 BC Death of Socrates by Hemlock - Charged with religious heresy and corrupting the morals of local youth. Active chemical is the alkaloid coniine which when ingested causes paralysis, convulsions and potentially death."

"Opium War of 1839-42
  Great Britain has a monopoly on the sale of opium which it forces on China.  Eventually getting control of Hong Kong. Consider our societies current “wars on drugs”."

"From Romeo and Juliet - act 5
  Come bitter pilot, now at once run on
  The dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark!
  Here’s to my love! O true apothecary!
  Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die."


Animal Toxins: substance produced by animals that can cause harmful effect to a human body. 
Here are some examples of animals that produces toxins:
A. ARACHNIDS

1. Scorpions – Stinger – low toxicity
2. Spider bites
              §Widow spiders -– Neurotoxin
§Brown or Violin -– Tissue Damage
3. Ticks – Neurotoxin – Transmits other diseases

B. INSECTS

   1. Moths and caterpillars – Irritating to eat
   2. Ants – Proteins, formic acid –    Irritation to allergic response
   3. Honey bees – Proteins – Swelling, allergic response
   4. Wasps – Formic acid

C. REPTILES
  1.Lizards – Irritating to eat
  2.Snakes
§Vipers – Rattlesnakes, Water moccasins, Copperheads – Complex enzymes – Tissue necrosis, allergic response, shock
§Elapidae Cobras, Kraits, Coral Snakes – Proteins – Neurotoxin, paralysis

D.MARINE ANIMALS
  1.Shellfish (filter-feeding mollusks)
               §Mussels, clams, oysters, scallop2.Jelly fishanemona, coral
  2.Jelly fishanemona, coral
                Sea Snail (cigua) and some fish, oysters and clams
  3.Puffer Fish (fugu, blowfish, toadfish … some frogs, starfish, octopus)
  4.Tuna, shark, sword fish (mercury)

PLANT TOXINS - plants that are capable of producing substance (toxins) that have a harmful effect on the body.
Examples are:

A.JIMSON WEED
ØDeadly nightshade plant (Atropa belladonna)
ØUsed in the Roman Empire and during the Middle Ages both as cure and a poison
ØWomen used preparations to dilate their pupils a sign of allure and beauty
ØAtropine is drug responsible for effects
ØCounteracts the effects of pesticides and chemical warfare agents that act by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase

B. MUSHROOM POISONING
ØMost dangerous mushrooms are the “death cap” (Amanita phalloides) or the “death angel” (Amanita ocreata).
ØMost susceptible are children less than 10 years of age
ØInitial symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and irregular heart rate
ØAmatoxin, damages the liver cells causing liver and kidney failure and possibly death
ØAmatoxin is very potent: only 0.1 to 0.3 mg/kg of body weight results in death

EFFECTS OF PLANT TOXINS TO SKIN:
1. Allergic Dermatitis – Plant Rashes, itchy skin 
§Philodendron, poison ivy, cashew, bulbs of daffodils, hyacinths, tulips (antibody mediated)

2. Allergic Dermatitis – Pollen Sniffles & sneezing, runny eyes
§Ragweed (North America), Mugwort (Europe), grasses (antibody mediated)

3.Contact Dermatitis Oral – Swelling and inflammation of mouth Skin – pain & stinging sensation
§Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia)Nettles (Urtica) 

4.Contact Dermatitis Skin – pain & stinging sensation
§Calcium oxalate crystals coated with inflammatory proteins – contain histamine, acetylcholine

EFFECTS OF PLANT TOXIN TO GASTROINTESTINAL:
vDirect stomach irritation - Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea 
§California buckthorn (sacred bark), tung nut, horse chestnut, pokeweed
v
vAntimitotic (stops cell division) – Nausea, vomiting, confusion, delirium
§Lily family, glory lily, crocus, may apple
§Colchicine (gout treatment)
§
vLectin toxicity – nausea, diarrhea, headache, confusion, dehydration, death
§Wisteria, castor bean (Ricinus communis)
§Ricin – block protein synthesis very toxic 5 to 6 beans can kill a child   
EFFECTS OF PLANT TOXIN TO CARDIOVASCULAR:
1. Digitalis like glycosides – cardiac arrhythmias 
§Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), squill, lily of the valley
§Contain glycosides that are similar to digitalis
§
2. Heart nerves – decreased heart rate and blood pressure, general weakness
§Lily, hellebore, death camas, heath family, monkshood, rhododendron
§Alkaloids, aconitum, grayanotoxin (concentrated in honey)
§
3. Blood vessel constriction (vasoconstriction)
§Mistletoe (berries contain toxin)
§Toxin is called phoratoxin
EFFECTS OF PLANT TOXIN TO NERVOUS SYSTEM I:
1. Seizures
§Water hemlock, (parsley family), mint family
§
2. Stimulation – Excitatory Amino Acids – headache, confusion, hallucinations
§Red alga (red tide), Green alga
§Mushrooms– Amanita family (fly agaric), Flat Pea (Lathyrus)
§
3. Aberrant behavior – very excitable, muscle weakness, death
§Locoweed - Australian & Western U.S. plant  
§
4. Stimulation
§Coffee bean, tea, cola nut
§Caffeine, most widely consumed stimulant in the world
EFFECTS OF PLANT TOXIN TO NERVOUS SYSTEM II:
vNeurotoxic – death
§Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)
§Coniine – neurotoxic alkaloid – Poison used by Socrates
§
vParalysis – demyelination of peripheral nerves
§Buckthorn, coyotillo, tullidora (U.S., Mexico)
§
vAtropine like effects – dry mouth, dilated pupils, confusion, hallucinations, memory lose
§Solanaceae family – jimsonweed, henbane, deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), angles trumpet (atropine and scopolamine) 
§
vNeuromuscular – mild stimulation to muscle paralysis, respiratory failure (curare), deathCoffee bean, tea, cola nut
§Tobacco – South American – Strychnos family (curare) Blue green alga (anatonin A)
EFFECTS OF PLANT TOXIN TO LIVER:
1. “Hepatitis” and cirrhosis of liver - From contaminated grain
§Ragwort or groundsel
§Pyrrolizidine alkaloids – attack liver vessels – effects humans, cattle but some species resistant
§
2. Liver failure and death
§Mushrooms – “Death cap” (Amanita phalloides)
§Amatoxin and phalloidin effects RNA and protein synthesis
§
3. Liver cancer
§Fungus that grows on peanuts, walnuts, , etc…plant  
§Alfaltoxins– produced by fungus in poorly stored grain