Speaking about poisons, one cannot but mention the famous phrase of Paracelsus: “everything is poison, everything is medicine”. Indeed, even a familiar product in excessive quantities can adversely affect the body. But there are substances that can and in a negligible dose have a toxic effect. To determine their toxicity introduced the concept of "MLD". This is the minimum lethal dose that can cause death of a person weighing 70 kg. According to this concept, you can determine the most powerful poison.
Since poisons, by their origin, are organic and inorganic, it would be wrong to compare them with each other in strength. In each of these groups there are the most toxic representatives.
Organic poisons are all those that are secreted by animals, plants, or bacteria. By force of action, they are superior to inorganic ones and often do not have antidotes. One must be extremely careful in areas where the possibility of collision with sources of organic poisons is inevitable. To date, the leaders list that emit strong poison include:
- Pale toadstool - the most dangerous mushroom of the genus Amanita. For severe poisoning, just eat ¼ of the mushroom. The insidiousness of its toxins lies in the fact that poisoning does not occur immediately, but at this time there is irreparable destruction of the body, most often leading to death.
- Castor oil plant - a plant from the family of euphorbiaceae, grown as a medicinal plant in Asia and Africa. Seeds contain a toxic substance, even in small doses, dissolving red blood cells. Survivors after poisoning do not restore their previous health, since poison irreversibly destroys tissue proteins.
- Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The most dangerous toxin has no taste, color, odor and propagates in canned foods. Causes death from paralysis of the respiratory and cardiac systems.
Many believe that the most powerful venom of the royal cobra living in the forests of Southeast Asia. Typically, the amount of poison in one bite is twice the lethal dose. 15 minutes after the attack of the cobra paralysis of the respiratory muscles and respiratory arrest.
Toxicologists and those who are familiar with marine life know that the blue-ringed octopus, an inhabitant of Australian waters, has the most powerful poison. Its toxins are superior in strength to the cobra venom and cause death from a bite within a minute. The salivary glands of this octopus immediately contain two toxins that act on the nervous and muscle systems. Death occurs as a result of paralysis of the respiratory muscles.
A similar poison is possessed by a dog fish that lives in the seas of Southeast Asia. Despite toxicity, dishes are prepared from it. If the fish is improperly processed, the poison of the nerve agent enters the human body, leads to convulsions and further to death.
Inorganic poisons are salts of metals, alkalis, acids and their derivatives. Their poisoning is weaker, moreover, antidotes exist for the strongest poisons of inorganic origin.
The pesticide parathion when inhaled and even gets on the skin causes severe poisoning, leading to excessive stimulation of the nervous system. Symptoms - profuse sweating and salivation, headache, vomiting, lacrimation.
Carbon tetrachloride is a caustic liquid used as a cleaner. When inhaled, it affects the heart, kidneys and liver.
Potassium cyanide is the strongest poison in its group. When it enters the body, cells cease to absorb oxygen, interstitial hypoxia leads to death.
