Poison

:This article is about the dangerous substance. For the band see Poison.

Biological poisoning

Contact or absorption of poisons can cause rapid death or impairment. Agents that act on the nervous system can paralyze in seconds or less, and include both biologically derived neurotoxins and so-called nerve gases, which may be synthesized for warfare or industry. Inhaled or ingested cyanide almost instantly starves the body of energy by poisoning mitochondria and the synthesis of ATP. Intravenous injection of an unnaturally high concentration of potassium chloride, such as in the execution of prisoners in parts of the United States, quickly stops the heart by eliminating the cell potential necessary for muscle contraction. Such rapid reactions are often called acute poisoning.

Related Topics:
Nervous system - Neurotoxin - Nerve gas - Warfare - Cyanide - Mitochondria - ATP - Potassium chloride - Heart - Cell potential - Muscle contraction

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Most (but not all) pesticides are created to act as poisons to target organisms, although acute or less observable chronic poisoning can also occur to non-target organism, including the humans who apply the pesticides and other beneficial organisms.

Related Topics:
Pesticide - Target organism - Human - Beneficial organism

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A poison may also act slowly. This is known as chronic poisoning and is most common for poisons that bioaccumulate. Examples of these types of poisons are mercury and lead.

Related Topics:
Bioaccumulate - Mercury - Lead

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Many substances regarded as poisons are toxic only indirectly. An example is "wood alcohol" or methanol, which is not poisonous itself, but is chemically converted to toxic formaldehyde in the liver. Many drug molecules are made toxic in the liver, and the genetic variability of certain liver enzymes makes the toxicity of many compounds differ between one individual and the next.

Related Topics:
Methanol - Formaldehyde - Liver - Drug - Enzyme

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The study of the symptoms, mechanisms, treatment and diagnosis of biological poisoning is known as toxicology.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Exposure to radioactive substances can produce radiation poisoning, an unrelated phenomenon.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~