Review on Poison

8/13/2019 Review on Poison

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REVIEW ON POISON & TOXICOLOGY

Toxicology - is that branch of science which treats of poisons, their origin, physical

and chemical properties, physiological action treatment of their noxious effect, and

methods of detection.

Toxicology - "toxic" means poison; "ology" mean Science

Definition of poison - !rom the medical point of iew#$ % substance which when

introduced into the body and is absorbed through the blood stream and acting chemically,

is capable of introducing noxious effect or destroy life.

&lassification of poison

a# %ccording to 'ingdom

( animal - ex. &haracteristic

) egetable - ex. Strychnine

* mineral - ex. +ydrochloric acid

b# %ccording to chemical properties.

( norganic poisons.

a olatile and non-olatile - ex. romine, chlorine, iodine, sulfuric aid.

b /ineral acids - ex. +ydrochloric acid

c /ineral al'alies - ex. Sodium hydroxides) 0rganic poisons

a olatile - ex. %lcohol, chloroform

b al'alcids - ex. Strychnine

c animal poisons - ex. Sna'e enom

d bacterial - ex. 1tomaine

e organic aid - ex, salisilic acid

f alucosides - ex. Digitalis

c# %ccording to physiological action

( &orrosie - highly irritant poisons which cause local destruction of tissues and

characteri2ed by nausea, omiting and great local distress. 3x. strong acid and

al'alies

) rritants - produces irritation of inflammation of the mucus membrane and

characteri2ed by omiting, pain in the abdomen, and purging. 3x. arsenic,

canthaddes

* 4arcotics - poison which produce stuper, complete insensibility, or loss of

feeling. 3x. opium, demerd, cocaine

5 4eurotics - one which act chiefly on the nerous system producing delirium,

conulsion, and coma, with disordered circulation and respiration as the

outstanding symptoms. 3x. alcohol, opium, &0, strychnine

6 Tetanics - substance which act directly upon the spinal cord producing such

spasmodic and continuos contraction of muscles as a result of stiffness or

immobility of the parts to which they are attached.

7 Depressant or sedaties - agents which retard or depress the physiological action

of the organ. 3x. nicotine, cocaine

8 %sthenics or exhausties - agents which produce exhaustion mar'ed loss of ital ormuscular power. 3x. hydrocyanic acid

d# %ccording to pharmacological action

( Substances characteri2ed by local action - 3x. olatile oils, s'in irritants

) Substances characteri2ed by their action after absorption - 3x. %l'aloids

* +eay metals and metalloids - 3x. 1, %s, and +g

e# %ccording to methods of isolation

( olatile poison and those isolated by distillation with or without current of

system. 3x. alcohol, phenol, chloroform

) 4on-olatile poisons - those that are isolated by extraction with organic solents


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3x. al'aloids, organic acids

* /etallic poisons - 3x. %s, +g

%ction 0f 1oisons

%. 9ocal - &hanges or disturbance produced on the part with which the poison comes in

contact.

. :emote - the changes or disturbance produced in distant part away from the site of

application.

&. &ombined - the effect of the poison is not only locali2ed at the site but also

affect remote organs.

&onditions /odifying The %ction 0f 1oisons

%. those attributed to the indiidual

(. %ge and sex

). +ealth

*. +abit - the repeated ta'ing of small dose drugs it builds up immunity.

5. diosyncrasy - a term applied to indiiduals who exhibit unusual reaction to

a certain substance.

6. Disease

7. !ood

8. 3xhaustion

. Sleep

. Those which are attributed to the poison

(. physical state

). dilution

*. solubility of poison

5. mode of administration

6. chemical combination

7. mechanical combination

8. dose - the ection

7 ntraenous in>ection

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( 3mesis

) :espiration

* !eces

5 @rine

6 /il'

7 Saila

8 Sweat

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D%A40SS 0! 10S044A 3!0:3 D3%T+ S 3:? D!!&@9T 3&%@S3$

(. 9arge number of poisons and the factors modifying their actions.

). Some of the symptoms obsered in cases of poisoning are also see in certain

diseases.

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( symptoms of poisoning come suddenly upon a person whose preiously has been in goo

health, while disease is usually proceeded by a number of hour, days or een wee's

of local or general indisposition.

) n cases of poisoning, the symptoms commonly ma'e their appearance after ta'ing of

food, drin's or medicine.* f seeral persons ta'e the same food and drin's, they should all show similar

symptoms.

5 Diseases are generally much slower in their progress and are preceded by cumstance

as exposure, recogni2ed symptoms and general or local indisposition of longer

duration.

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( :emoal of the position from the stomach.

) %dministration of antidotes.

* 3limination of poisons by exertion.

5 Stimulation and other symptomatic treatment.

6 Special treatment.

%ntidotes - are agent which neutrali2e a poison or otherwise counteract or oppose it or

its effect.

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( /echanical antidote - an agent that remoes the poison without changing it or coat

the surface of the organ so that absorption is preented.

) &hemical antidotes - substances that ma'e the poison harmless by chemically

alerting it. The antidote renders the poison insoluble or alert.

* 1hysiological antidote - sometimes called %4T%A04ST, an agent that acts upon the

system so as so to counteract the effect of poison. t merely mas' the symptoms

produced.

=4D 0! &+3/&%9 %4TD0T3

a stomach tube or pump

b emetics - agent which produce omiting

&lasses of emetics

(. 9ocal emetics

). Aeneral emetics

c &athartics - agent which produce intestinal eacuation

d Demulcents - substances which soo the and protect the part with which they are

applied.

e 1recipitants - these are substances which preent absorption of poisons by

precipitating them and rendering them soluble.


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Investigation of fatal cases- in the inestigation of fatal poisoning cases, it is not

necessary that an inestigator should be an expert on poisons, since he will be assisted

in this inestigation by a medico legal officer and a toxicologist but it is important

and will be of great help to him to 'now the following$

( symptoms of arious 'inds of poisoning

) the lethal dose of a poison

* the length of time that may elapse after the poison has been ta'en, before death

occurs.

5 Bhere the poison was obtained

6 The chemical formula of the poison7 0ther names of it is 'nown in the mar'et

8 @ses of poison

%ntidotes for the poison.

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The eidence of poisoning will depend upon whether the poisoning is acute or chroni

n acute poisoning the symptoms appear suddenly while the indiidual is in good healt

The person is usually affected with a group of symptoms of a definite characteristics o

of consonance with his preious state of health. n chronic poisoning, the onset of t

symptoms is more gradual and insidious due to small


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analysis failed to show the pressure of the poison. The negatie result of t

toxicological examination must be interpreted to explain the discrepancy between t

clinical and postmortem findings and that of the toxicological analysis.

:3%S04S !0: 43A%T3 :3S@9TS 0! T+3 T0E&090A&%9 3E%/4%T04

a some poison maybe rapidly altered in the body to a form which is not detectable

the methods of an alysis employed.

b Some poisons with or without preious chemical change maybe rapidly exerted but n

in the tissues and may only be detectable in the urine but not in the body tissu

and organs.c Sometimes symptoms of poisoning may appear which maybe fatal, following t

administration of een small and ordinarily harmless

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Review on Poison