The most toxic substances in the world. Ten most dangerous poisons on the planet

It is difficult to determine the most powerful poison. This definition includes any substance that provokes serious pathological changes in the body. Poisons act in different ways. Some slowly and imperceptibly bring a person to a critical point, others cause unbearable pain.

You can predict the effect and take measures to eliminate serious consequences by finding out the exact cause of the poisoning. There is an antidote for each toxic substance.

Poisonous chemical origin

The most dangerous poisons are developed by humans. Not all were created as chemical warfare agents; for example, sarin was created as a result of the synthesis of pesticides. Its production stopped in the 90s of the 20th century.

The existing reserves were not destroyed, so this poison is used by terrorists and the military. This deadly gas is odorless and colorless and inhaling it can cause chest tightness, nausea, nasal discharge, respiratory failure, spasms, convulsions and coma. As a result, the person loses control of his own body and dies from suffocation.

Widely known negative impact hydrocyanic acid and substances that contain it. Even a small dose can cause death.

The effects of the white powder, which is highly toxic, are blocked by glucose. Contact with this gaseous substance is the cause of convulsive syndrome and respiratory failure.

Death occurs due to the binding of gas molecules to hemoglobin. Oxygen does not reach the internal organs, and the person simply suffocates.

Another type of poison is methyl alcohol. It is often confused with ethanol. Because of this, people who abuse counterfeit alcohol die due to intoxication. If rescue measures are taken on time, the likelihood of death will be significantly reduced. There is a high risk of complete loss of vision.

V-Ex is considered one of the most dangerous poisons. This gas is used as a chemical weapon of mass destruction. To penetrate the body, inhalation for a few minutes or short contact with the skin is sufficient.

A fast-acting remedy leads to death in just a quarter of an hour.

Don't forget about mercury and arsenic. The first slowly poisons the body, causing partial dysfunction of the central nervous system and subsequent mental disorder. All vital organs suffer from exposure to this metal. Vapors and soluble mercury compounds are formed already at room temperature, so you need to be careful when using a thermometer.

List of "Most strong poisons“It is impossible to imagine without arsenic. 33 element Periodic table Mendeleev has been used as a poison for centuries.

Symptoms of intoxication are similar to the clinical manifestations of cholera. It is possible to provoke chemical poisoning through potassium chloride. This substance is intended to fertilize the earth, but its penetration into the body is fraught with sudden cardiac arrest.

Plant substances

Some biological components are also dangerous; such poisons are presented in no less variety than synthetic ones. Call fatal outcome You can use chilibuja nuts. Of these they receive one of the most known poisons– strychnine.

Severe intoxication is accompanied by convulsions that lead to death. This substance is not large quantities used in the treatment of paralysis and to accelerate metabolic metabolism.

A dangerous poison called ricin is produced from castor beans. It is several times stronger than potassium cyanide, but due to technical difficulties it cannot be used as a weapon of mass destruction.

The outcome of poisoning directly depends on the method of penetration of the toxic substance into the body.

If inhaled, death is unlikely, but if even a few grains enter the bloodstream, there is practically no chance of a favorable outcome.

Among plant poisons, curare is considered the most famous. It was prepared on the basis of herbs growing in the area South America. Death caused by this substance is very painful. The person gradually dies from paralysis of the respiratory system, remaining fully conscious but unable to move.

Poisons produced by representatives of the animal world

The world around us full of dangers from which man is not immune. Often culinary preferences become the cause of his disability or even death. Fugu dishes are quite popular in Japan due to their “extreme” nature.

Due to the slightest mistake in the cooking process, the visitor can be poisoned. A similar reaction is explained by tetrodotoxin. It is found in organs puffer fish, skin and eggs of aquatic inhabitants living in the tropics.

Neurotoxins, particularly batrachotoxin, are present in the skin of amphibians from Colombia. Their body does not produce poison. It is formed as a result of dart frogs eating their normal food. The toxic substance “kills” the nervous system and causes respiratory failure.

TO tropical fish and you can add snakes and spiders to frogs. 250 species have been recorded in nature poisonous snakes. Unfortunately, there is no universal anti-snake serum. To administer the necessary antidote, you need to know what type of animal attacked.

Intoxication occurs when poison enters the bloodstream. A similar effect is caused by the penetration of chiriquitotoxin (chiriqui toad), alpha-latrotoxin (karakurt spider) into the body.

Pathogenic microflora

Poisoning can be caused by poisons produced by pathogenic microorganisms, including:

• Bacteria Clostridium botulinum. They cause botulism, a toxic infectious disease that affects the central and peripheral parts of the body. nervous system.
• bacilli anthrax. There are two forms of development: intestinal and cutaneous. The first type of pathology leads to death in 95% of cases. With the second, 80% of patients survive.
• Rods of the genus Clostridium. These are the causative agents of tetanus. Infection occurs when damp soil gets into an open wound. Characteristic symptoms include convulsive syndrome, respiratory and heart failure, and impaired swallowing reflex. In the absence of timely treatment, the likelihood of death is high.

The risk of intoxication of the body increases when consuming spoiled food. For example, if the storage conditions for potatoes are not met, solanine accumulates in them. Even bread can be poisonous if cereals infected with ergot were ground during the production of flour.

Poisonous mushrooms

The most common poisons are amatoxins.

They are found in fly agarics and toadstools. The first signs of poisoning may appear after 10-12 hours. Such slowness is fraught with serious complications.

First aid is too late, so prevent a negative impact on internal organs impossible. This will subsequently have a negative impact on general condition health.

10 fastest-acting toxic substances

There are several classifications of poisons. The defining characteristic is the minimum dose that can cause death.

The top ten included only natural substances:

1. Diamphotoxin has the greatest toxic power. It is produced in the body of the larva of the leaf beetle of the genus Diamphidia. Its distribution range is in South Africa. The most dangerous poison can disrupt the electrolyte balance and greatly reduce the level of hemoglobin in the blood. The dose may not exceed 0.000025 mg/kg.
2. The action of a cytotoxic poison called palytoxin becomes fatal at a dosage of 0.00015 mg/kg. It is formed as a result of vital activity coral polyps Palythoa toxica, P. Сaribacorum.
3. Batrachotoxin is found in the skin of dart frogs of the genus Phyllobates. The lethal rate is 0.002 mg/kg.
4. Typotoxin is produced by the Australian taipan. At least 0.002 mg/kg of snake venom must enter the blood.
5. Tetrodotoxin poisoning can occur from eating improperly prepared puffer fish. The critical dose is 0.008 mg/kg.
6. Titutoxin is the venom of the yellow scorpion. A rapid lethal outcome is possible even when 0.009 mg/kg penetrates the body.
7. Chiriquitotoxin is found in the skin of toads belonging to Atelopus chiriquiensis. Lethal dose equal to 0.01 mg/kg.
8. Alpha-conotoxin is found in a substance secreted by the mollusk Conus geographus. The minimum sufficient amount is 0.012 mg/kg.
9. Alpha-latrotoxin is produced by the Latrodectus spider (black widow). Death occurs from 0.045 mg/kg.
10. Neurotoxin II is produced by the Central Asian cobra. The lethal dose is 0.085 mg/kg.

The list of dangerous substances does not end after listing these poisons.

Be careful, do not take unfamiliar drugs and do not touch animals if you are not sure of the safety of your plan. If poison gets inside, be sure to call ambulance. Delay costs lives.

The Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus famously said: “All substances are poisons; there is not one that is not. The right dose makes the difference between the poison,” and he’s right. Even too much water will kill you. However, some substances require very small quantity to cause death - sometimes all it takes is for a drop to fall on a gloved hand - which is why they initially fell into the class of poisons. From flowers to heavy metals, from man-made gases to actual poison, here are the 25 most dangerous poisons known to mankind.

25. Cyanide can be in the form of a colorless gas or crystals, but in either case it is quite dangerous. It smells like bitter almonds, and once ingested, it can cause symptoms such as headache, nausea, rapid breathing and increased heart rate, and weakness in just a few minutes. If left untreated, cyanide kills because cells are deprived of oxygen. And yes, cyanide can be obtained from apple seeds, but don't worry if you eat a few. You will need to eat about ten kernels before you have enough cyanide in your body for it to have a negative effect. Please don't do this.

24. Hydrofluoric acid (Fluoric acid) is a poison used, among other things, in the production of Teflon. In its liquid state, this substance can easily seep through the skin into the bloodstream. In the body, it reacts with calcium and can even destroy the underlying bone. The scary thing is that the contact doesn't cause any pain at first, leaving more time and opportunity for serious damage to occur.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

23. Arsenic is a naturally occurring crystalline semimetal and perhaps one of the best known and most common poisons used as a murder weapon in the late 19th century. However, its use for such purposes began in the mid-1700s. Arsenic poisoning can cause death within hours or days. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea, which made it difficult to distinguish arsenic poisoning from dysentery or cholera 120 years ago.

Photo: maxpixel

22. Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade is a very poisonous herb (flower) with a very romantic story. What makes it poisonous is an alkaloid called atropine, and the entire plant is poisonous, with the root containing the most poison and the berries the least. However, even two eaten are enough to kill a child. Some people use belladonna for relaxation as a hallucinogen, and in Victorian times women would often drop belladonna tincture into their eyes to dilate their pupils and make their eyes sparkle. Before you die under the influence of belladonna, you may experience a seizure, increased heart rate, and confusion. Don't play with belladonna, kids.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

21. Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) is an odorless, tasteless, colorless substance and slightly less dense than air. It will poison and then kill you. Part of what makes carbon monoxide so dangerous is that it is difficult to detect; sometimes called the "silent killer". This substance prevents the body from delivering oxygen to where it is needed, such as to cells, to keep them alive and functioning. Early symptoms poisoning carbon monoxide similar to the flu without fever: headache, weakness, drowsiness, lethargy, insomnia, nausea and confusion. Fortunately, you can purchase a carbon monoxide detector at almost any specialty store.

Photo: wikimedia commons

20. The deadliest tree in all of North America grows in Florida. Otherwise, where else would he grow? The Manchineel tree or Beach apple tree has small green fruits that look like apples and look like they would taste sweet. Don't eat them. And don't touch this tree. Don't sit next to it or under it, and pray you never end up in the wind under it. If the sap gets on your skin, it will blister, and if it gets in your eyes, you may go blind. The juice is contained in both the leaves and the bark, so do not touch them. Probably, the juice of this plant killed the conquistador Ponce de Leon, who discovered Florida.

Photo: nps.gov

19. Fluorine is a pale yellow gas that is highly poisonous, corrosive and will react with almost anything. For fluorine to be lethal, a concentration of 0.000025% is sufficient. It causes blindness and asphyxiates the victim like mustard gas, but its effects are much worse.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

18. The pesticide used is Compound 1080, also known as sodium fluoroacetate. IN natural form it is found in several plant species in Africa, Brazil and Australia. The scary truth about this deadly poison odorless and tasteless is that there is no antidote for it. Oddly enough, the bodies of those who die from ingesting this poison remain poisonous for a whole year.

Photo: lizenzhinweisgenerator.de

17. The most dangerous man-made poison is called dioxin, and it only takes 50 micrograms to kill an adult. It is the third most toxic poison known to science, 60 times more toxic than cyanide.

Photo: wikimedia commons

16. Dimethylmercury (a neurotoxin) is a terrible poison because it can penetrate most standard protective equipment, such as thick latex gloves. This is exactly what happened to a female chemist named Karen Wetterhahn in 1996. A single drop of colorless liquid fell on my gloved hand, and that was it. Symptoms began to appear FOUR MONTHS later, and six months later she was dead.

Photo: wikipedia.org

15. Wolfsbane (Fighter) also known as "Monk's Hood", "Wolfsbane", "Leopard's Venom", "Women's Curse", "Devil's Helm", "Queen of Poisons" and "Blue Rocket". In fact it's whole family, which includes more than 250 herbs, and most of them are extremely poisonous. The flowers can be either blue or yellow, and while some of the plants are used for traditional medicine, it has also been used as a murder weapon over the past decade.

Photo: maxpixel

14. Toxin found in poisonous mushrooms, is called amatoxin. It attacks liver and kidney cells and kills them within a few days. Sometimes it also affects the heart and central nervous system. Treatment is available, but results are not guaranteed. The poison is temperature stable and cannot be removed by drying. So unless you are 100% sure they are safe, don't eat mushrooms.

Photo: maxpixel

13. Anthrax is actually caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. What makes you sick is not so much the bacteria, but the toxin they produce when they enter the body. Bacillus Anthracis can enter your system through the skin, mouth, or respiratory tract. The mortality rate from airborne anthrax reaches 75% even with treatment.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

12. The hemlock plant is a classic poisonous plant that was regularly used for executions in ancient Greece, including the philosopher Socrates. There are several varieties, and in North America, water hemlock is the most common plant. You could die from eating it, but people still do it, thinking hemlock is a perfectly acceptable salad ingredient. Water hemlock causes painful and severe convulsions, cramps and tremors. Those who survive may subsequently suffer amnesia or other long-term problems. Water hemlock is considered the deadliest plant in North America. Serious note: Supervise your children, even older ones, when they are outside. Don't eat anything unless you are 100% sure it is safe.

Photo: flickr.com

11. Strychnine is commonly used to kill small mammals and birds, and is often the main ingredient in rat poison. In large doses, strychnine can also be fatal to humans. It can be swallowed, inhaled, or enter the body through the skin. The first symptoms: painful muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting. Muscle contractions ultimately lead to suffocation. Death can occur within half an hour. This is very unpleasant way die, for both man and rat.

Photo: flickr.com

10. Most of those who understand such things consider maytotoxin to be the most powerful marine toxin. It's found in a dinoflagellate algae called Gambierdiscus toxicus, and if those words confuse you, just think of deadly plankton to get the idea. For mice, meiototoxin is the most toxic among non-protein toxins.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

9. Mercury, the silvery liquid in old school thermometers, is a heavy metal that is quite toxic to humans if inhaled or touched. If you touch it, it can cause your skin to peel off, and if you inhale the mercury vapor, it will eventually shut down your central nervous system and you will die. Before then, you are likely to experience kidney failure, memory loss, brain damage and blindness.

Photo: flickr.com

8. Polonium is a radioactive chemical element and has been implicated in the deaths of everyone from Yasser Arafat to Russian dissidents. Its most common form is 250,000 times more toxic than hydrocyanic acid. It is radioactive and emits alpha particles (they are not compatible with organic tissues). Alpha particles cannot penetrate the skin, so polonium must be ingested or injected into the victim. However, if this happens, the result will not be long in coming. One theory is that a gram of polonium 210 could kill up to ten million people if injected or ingested, causing first radiation poisoning and then cancer.

Photo: flickr.com

7. Suicide tree or Cerbera odollam acts by disturbing the natural rhythm of the heart and often causing death. A member of the same family as Oleander, the plant was often used to perform the "innocence test" in Madagascar. An estimated 3,000 people a year died from drinking Cerberus poison before the practice was outlawed in 1861. (If you survived, you were found innocent. If you died, it didn't matter because you were dead).

Photo: wikipedia.org

6. Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum, and it is an incredibly powerful neurotoxin. It causes paralysis, which can lead to death. You may know botulinum toxin by its commercial name, Botox. Yes, that's what the doctor injects into your mom's forehead to make it less wrinkled (or into her neck to help with migraines) to cause muscle paralysis.

Photo: flickr.com

5. Pufferfish is considered a delicacy in some countries, where it is called Fugu; it's a dish that some would literally die for. Why? Because the insides of the fish contain tetrodotoxin, and in Japan, approximately 5 people a year die from eating puffer fish as a result of improper preparation technology. But gourmets continue to persist.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

4. Sarin gas will give you the opportunity to survive the worst moments of your life. Your chest tightens, tighter, tighter, and then... it relaxes because you are dead. Although Sarin was outlawed in 1995, it has not stopped being used in terrorist attacks.

Photo: flickr

3. Golden Poison Arrow Frog - Tiny, adorable and quite dangerous. Only one frog is the size of the end of your thumb contains enough neurotoxin to kill ten people! A dose equal to about two grains of salt is enough to kill an adult. This is why some Amazon tribes used poison to coat the tips of their hunting arrows. One touch of such an arrow will kill you within minutes! Here's a great rule: if you see a frog and it's yellow, blue, green or red, don't touch it.

Photo: maxpixel

2. Ricin is more lethal than anthrax. This substance is obtained from the castor bean, the same plant from which we obtain castor oil. This poison is especially toxic if inhaled, and a pinch of it will kill you very quickly.

Photo: wikimedia commons

1. Codenamed “Purple Possum”, a VX gas, is the most powerful nerve gas on Earth. It is entirely man-made and we can thank the United Kingdom for that. It was technically banned in 1993, and the US allegedly destroyed its stockpile. Other countries are “working on it.” Which we should trust completely because governments are known to be 100% honest about these things.

Photo: wikimedia commons

Any toxic substances, be they chemical or plant, pose a serious danger to the body. Science knows dozens and hundreds the strongest poisons, many of which are used by the person himself, and far from being for good deeds - this includes terrorism, genocide, and much more. But there were also times when poisons were considered medicines. One way or another, toxic substances are still undergoing active research in laboratories. What is the most powerful poison in the world?

Cyanide

Cyanides are a class of harmful potent substances, dangerous to humans. Their toxicity is explained by their immediate effect on the respiratory functions of cells, which, in turn, stops the work of the entire body. Cells stop functioning, organs fail. All this leads to a very serious condition, fraught with death. Cyanide itself is a derivative of hydrocyanic acid.

Externally, cyanide is a white powder with a crystalline structure. It is quite unstable and dissolves well in water. It's about The most famous type is potassium cyanide, and there is also sodium cyanide, which is also quite toxic. The poison is obtained not only in the laboratory, but also extracted from plants. It is important to know that some foods may contain this substance in small quantities. Almonds and fruit seeds are dangerous. But the poisoning is cumulative.

Cyanide is often used in industrial production– in particular, in the production of paper, some fabrics, plastic, as well as in reagents for photo development. In metallurgy, cyanide is used to purify metals from impurities; and in grain storage facilities rodents are destroyed using means based on this poison. The lethal dose of the most dangerous poison in the world is 0.1 mg/l, and death occurs within an hour. If the quantity is greater, then in ten minutes. First, the person loses consciousness, then stops breathing, and then the heart stops.

This substance was first isolated by the German chemist Bunsen, and in 1845 manufacturing methods were developed in industrial scale

Anthrax spores

These substances are causative agents of extremely dangerous infectious disease, most often ending in death. People who come into contact with livestock are at risk of contracting Bacillus Anthracis. Disputes can be very for a long time stored in the ground of a cattle burial ground.

The disease has been killing people for centuries, especially during the Middle Ages. And only in the 19th century Louis Pasteur managed to create a vaccine against it. He studied the resistance of animals to poisons by injecting them with a weakened strain of ulcer, which resulted in the development of immunity. In 2010, US scientists created an even more effective vaccine against the disease.

Anthrax spores are found in all secretions of a sick animal, ending up with them in water and soil. Thus, they can spread hundreds of kilometers from the source of infection. In African countries, insects that drink blood can also become infected with poison. Incubation ranges from several hours to seven days. The poison causes irreparable damage to blood vessels, causing swelling, loss of sensitivity, and inflammation. Carbuncles begin to appear on the skin; It is especially dangerous if they occur on the face. Subsequently, a host of other unpleasant symptoms may occur, from diarrhea to bloody vomiting. Often the patient will die at the end.

The disease caused by anthrax spores develops extremely quickly and causes terrible external and internal damage.

Many Russian residents remember this name from school life lessons. One of the most toxic substances on Earth since 1991 has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction. And it was discovered in 1938 by a chemical company in Germany and from the very beginning was intended for military purposes.

Under normal conditions, sarin is an odorless liquid that evaporates quickly. Since it cannot be smelled, poisoning can only be known when symptoms appear.

Moreover, poisoning occurs through inhalation of steam, and through contact with skin or entry into the oral cavity.

Sarin binds certain enzymes, in particular protein, as a result of which it can no longer support nerve fibers.

Mild poisoning results in shortness of breath and weakness. In moderate cases, constriction of the pupils, lacrimation, severe headache, nausea, and trembling of the limbs occurs. If timely assistance is not provided, death occurs in 100% of cases, but even if assistance is provided, every second poisoned person dies. Severe degree is characterized by the same symptoms as moderate, but they are more pronounced and progress faster. Vomiting occurs, spontaneous excretion of feces and urine occurs, and an incredible headache appears. A minute later the person faints, and five minutes later he dies from damage to the respiratory center.

Sarin was not used in World War II due to Hitler's prejudice against poisonous gases.

Amatoxin

This is the most powerful venom that is independently produced in nature; it is more powerful than the venom of any snake. It is mainly found in white toadstools and when ingested, it affects the kidneys and liver, and then gradually kills all cells over the course of several days.

The poison is very insidious: the first symptoms appear only after 12 hours, and sometimes up to a day. Of course, it’s already too late to do gastric lavage; you need to call an ambulance. Within two days, traces of amatoxin can be detected in a urine test. Activated carbon and the drug cephalosporin can also help the patient, and especially difficult cases have to resort to a liver transplant. But even after recovery, the patient may suffer from heart, kidney and liver failure for a long time.

A large dose of penicillin is used as an antidote; if it is not introduced, then a person dies on average within a week

It's poison plant origin, most often used in baiting small rodents. It has been produced in the laboratory since 1818, extracting it from seeds African plant Chilibukhs. Strychnine is mentioned in many detective novels, where characters die from exposure to this substance. One of the properties of strychnine is also played out: at the very beginning, it causes a sharp and powerful surge of strength by blocking some neurotransmitters.

The substance is used in the production of medicines, but drugs containing strychnine nitrate are prescribed only in the most extreme cases. Indirect indications for use may be neurological diseases in which nerve impulses are inhibited; poor appetite; impotence; severe forms of alcoholism that cannot be cured by other methods.

Symptoms of poisoning with this poison are similar to the primary symptoms of tetanus. These include difficulty breathing, chewing and swallowing, fear of light and convulsions.

A dose of 1 milligram per 1 kilogram of body weight is fatal.

The first information about mercury has reached us from the depths of time; it is mentioned in documents dating back to 350 BC, and archaeological excavations have also found more ancient traces. The metal was widely used and continues to be used in medicine, art, and industry. Its vapors are extremely toxic, and poisoning can be either immediate or cumulative. First of all, harm is done to the nervous system, and then to other systems of the body.

The initial symptoms of mercury poisoning are trembling of the fingers and eyelids, and later - of all parts of the body. Then there are problems with the gastrointestinal tract, insomnia, headache, vomiting, memory impairment. In case of poisoning by vapors, rather than mercury compounds, damage to the respiratory tract is initially noticed. If exposure to the substance is not stopped promptly, it can be fatal.

The effects of mercury poisoning can be inherited

Most often, a person encounters mercury from a thermometer, especially if it breaks. But not everyone knows exactly how to act in this situation. First you need to quickly collect all the parts of the thermometer and the mercury balls. This must be done as carefully as possible, because the remaining particles can cause irreparable harm to residents, especially children and animals. This is done with rubber gloves. In hard-to-reach places, you can collect mercury using a syringe or a patch. Place everything collected in a tightly closed container.

The next step is a thorough cleaning of the room, also done with gloves (already new) and a medical mask. Suitable for processing concentrated solution potassium permanganate. Wipe absolutely all surfaces in the house with this solution using a rag. Fill any gaps, cracks and other depressions with mortar. It is advisable to leave everything in this form for at least a day. For the next few days, ventilate the room daily.

You can call specialists who will make sure that there is no mercury or its vapor in the house if the thermometer breaks

Tetrodotoxin

The most effective defense mechanisms that nature has endowed living beings with are neurotoxins. These are substances that specifically damage the nervous system. Tetrodotoxin is perhaps the most dangerous and unusual of them. It is found in a variety of both terrestrial and aquatic animals. The substance tightly blocks the channels of nerve cells, which causes muscle paralysis.

The most common source of poisoning in Japan was eating fugu fish. It is surprising that today this fish is still used in cooking and is considered a delicacy - however, you need to know which parts to eat and in what season to catch the fish. Poisoning occurs extremely quickly, in some cases within six hours. It begins with a slight tingling of the lips and tongue, followed by vomiting and weakness, after which the patient falls into a coma. Effective emergency assistance measures have not yet been developed. Only artificial respiration can prolong life, because before death, breathing first stops, and only after a while the heart stops beating.

Tetrodotoxin has been studied for many years, but not all details about it have yet been discovered.

The poisons described above have an extremely harmful effect on animal organisms, so extreme care must be taken when handling them. It is better if professionals do this.

There are a lot of poisons in the world, some of them last a long time, others cause instant poisoning. When exposed to the body, each toxic substance causes specific symptoms, the most common of which should be known to every person.

Plant and chemical poisons very dangerous not only for health, but also for life. Today, there are hundreds of types of potent substances, some of which are used far from their intended purpose. good intentions- genocide, terrorism, etc. However, our ancestors treated many ailments even with the help of the most powerful poison. One way or another, experts are still actively studying this issue.

The toxicity of toxic substances from the group is caused by an immediate effect on the respiratory properties of cells, which aggravates its work. Cell work stops, internal organs begin to collapse. This leads a person to a very serious condition, often ending in death. Essentially, cyanide is a derivative of hydrocyanic acid.

It looks like a snow-white powder of small crystals. It dissolves quickly in water and is very unstable. A similar poison, in addition to laboratory methods, can be extracted from some plants (fruit seeds, almonds, etc.). However, poisoning is caused by a significant accumulation of the substance in the body.

Potassium cyanide is often used in industry:

• production of paper, plastics and some types of fabrics;
• in reagents for developing photographs;
• in the metal industry, cyanide is used to clean metal alloys from impurities;
• in granaries, products based on it protect products from rodents.

It is a fast-acting poison that can paralyze in minutes. The lethal dosage is only 0.1 mg/l. The person dies within one hour. First he loses consciousness, then his breathing and heart stop. That is why it is considered the fastest poison for humans.

Anthrax spores

This chemical compound provokes a very dangerous infection, which often ends in death. People who interact with farm animals are most susceptible to the disease. The spores are highly persistent and can be stored in the soil for a long time, which is why they are among the most dangerous poisons.

This terrible disease has been killing people for centuries. Only in the nineteenth century did the scientist Louis Pasteur succeed in making a vaccine. The specialist studied the resistance of animals to the effects of poisons by introducing a weakened strain of the virus into their bodies. Several years ago, American scientists developed a more effective vaccine.

Anthrax spores thrive in the secretions of an infected individual, passing through them into the soil and water. This is how they spread over vast distances. In African countries, blood-sucking insects can become carriers of poison. The incubation period lasts from several hours to a week. The poison damages blood vessels, leading to swelling, loss of sensitivity and inflammation. Boils form on the skin, developing into carbuncles. After some time, other very unpleasant signs may appear, ranging from diarrhea. Often the patient will die.

Sarin danger

Many Russians are familiar with this substance from school desks and life safety lessons. It is known to be one of the most powerful poisons in the world. Since the end of the last century, it began to be used to create WMD (weapons of mass destruction). Sarin was discovered by one of the German chemical companies. At first, the substance was used only by the military.

Sarin is a fast-evaporating, odorless liquid. Therefore, patients begin to think about poisoning only after symptoms appear.

Intoxication is possible in several ways:

• when poison enters the oral cavity;
• through contact with the skin;
• through inhalation of fumes (gas).

Organic poison damages nerve endings, preventing proteins from having any opportunity to support their work. The mild stage of poisoning is accompanied by general weakness and shortness of breath. Average - the pupils narrow, the head begins to hurt, tearfulness, nausea, trembling in the arms and legs appear.

If a person is not given first aid, then death is inevitable. The severe stage has similar symptoms, but they are more pronounced. Vomiting appears, involuntary release of urine and feces, and the headache intensifies. A few minutes later the person loses consciousness and quickly dies.

Amatoxin is a strong natural poison

This is the strongest of the entire list natural poisons on planet Earth. Experts have proven that amatoxin is much more dangerous than any snake venom. It is found in pale toadstools. Once in the human body, the toxin affects the liver and kidneys, after which all cells die.

Amatoxin is extremely insidious: manifestations are observed only after ten to twelve hours. In this case, it is already too late to rinse the stomach, so you must definitely call a medical team. In the first stages, the patient may be helped by Cephalosporin or activated charcoal. The most severe cases of poisoning with this biological poison require a liver transplant.

Strychnine and its areas of application

This is a plant toxin that is often used to poison mice, rats and other rodent pests. It is obtained in laboratory conditions from the seeds of chilibuja (an African plant). Such poison is often mentioned in detective stories, where characters die from it.

Used in the creation of certain drugs that are prescribed in exceptional cases. Indications for the use of such drugs are neurological diseases, impotence, loss of appetite, alcoholism, etc.

Liquid metal - mercury

This substance is mentioned in treatises dating back to 400 BC. But archaeologists also talk about more ancient traces. Mercury is often used in industry, art, medicine and other fields. Mercury vapor is very toxic. Intoxication can be either cumulative or immediate. First, the central nervous system is affected, and then other systems and organs.

The first signs of poisoning are trembling of the eyelids and fingers. After some time, stomach problems, vomiting, worsening sleep and memory appear. If mercury vapor poisoning occurs, then at first damage to the respiratory system is observed. Untimely or incorrect medical care can lead to death.

Often people encounter this liquid metal from a thermometer when they break it. However, not everyone knows what to do in such a situation. First you need to collect all the mercury balls and fragments. This should be done wearing protective rubber gloves. The remains of the thermometer should be placed in an airtight container.

After all this, the room must be thoroughly treated with a strong concentration of potassium permanganate solution, and all existing surfaces must be wiped with a rag. After a day, the room needs to be thoroughly ventilated.

The world-famous medieval physician and alchemist Paracelsus once said: “Everything is poison, everything is medicine; both are determined by the dose.” Even too much water can cause death. However, some substances will require a tiny amount - this will be enough to cause death. Sometimes just one drop is enough to fall on hands unprotected by gloves - these are the substances that are classified as very toxic. Among the deadly substances there are also organic substances plant nature, and heavy metals, and gases synthesized by man. We have prepared for you a list of the most dangerous of them - the 25 most deadly toxic substances.

The most poisonous substance in the world for humans is cyanide.

The most common forms of cyanide are a colorless gas or crystals, but regardless of the form, the substance is deadly. To some people, cyanide smells like bitter almonds.

Cyanide poisoning is accompanied by characteristic symptoms: headache, nausea, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, and a feeling of general malaise. Without timely medical intervention, cyanide will kill the body, causing oxygen starvation of cells. Vial of cyanide

Cyanide is contained in apple seeds, but do not rush to rinse your stomach after eating a few seeds - the concentration of the dangerous substance in them is extremely insignificant. You would have to eat more than ten whole apple stalks before you feel the effects of cyanide poisoning. But, of course, you shouldn’t do this.

Hydrofluoric acid, or hydrofluoric acid, is a chemical required to produce polytetrafluoroethylene, more commonly known as Teflon. It is also an extremely toxic poison.
Container with hydrofluoric acid

If a liquid containing even a small amount of hydrofluoric acid gets on the skin, there is a high probability that the poison will enter the circulatory system through the capillaries. When it reacts with calcium, it will begin to break down your bones.

Fortunately, getting this substance on the skin is painless, and the process of penetration through skin- not instantaneous, so you will have enough time to wash this dangerous substance off yourself.

Arsenic has been known since ancient times. It occurs naturally in pure form and in the form of sulfides. It is a crystalline semimetal in form. Medieval alchemists, including the already mentioned Paracelsus, were involved in the synthesis of arsenic.
Glass vial of arsenic

This substance, right up to the end XIX century, was the most common poison used to commit murders. A victim poisoned with arsenic dies from several hours to several days. This practice dates back to the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. The characteristic symptoms of arsenic poisoning were severe vomiting and diarrhea, which at the time could easily be confused with symptoms of cholera or dysentery.

Belladonna

This plant has also been known since ancient times, and it was used both in Europe and in Rus'. All parts of belladonna are very toxic, especially the roots. The least poisonous are the berries, and yet two berries will be enough to kill a one-year-old child.
Belladonna berries, flowers and leaves

In medieval Italy, the juice of this plant was dropped into the eyes of local fashionistas - thanks to the atropine content in it, the pupils dilated, and the gaze acquired an alluring shine. At the same time, it is atropine alkaloids that lead to poisoning - they actively affect the nervous system, first provoking an excited state, and then leading to rage and cardiac arrest. No wonder one of the names of this plant- Crazy berry.

Carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Physical form This substance is a gas without taste, color and odor. This gas is released when coal is burned, for example - it is the cause of many deaths in fires.
Clipping from an old magazine warning about the dangers of carbon monoxide

This substance disrupts the process of oxygen transfer, which causes oxygen starvation in cells. Symptoms of poisoning are general physical weakness, dizziness and headache, nausea, drowsiness. Fortunately, carbon monoxide poisoning is reversible - timely resuscitation measures can “bring back to life” a person who has inhaled carbon monoxide.

The fruits of the Manchinella tree, also called manchinella, look like green apples, but don’t rush to taste them. It is better to stay away from this tree altogether - it is one of the most poisonous plants on Earth and certainly the most poisonous in North America.

Manchinella grows in Florida, but you need to be wary of the sap of this tree. Even the wind blowing on you from the direction of this terrible plant can lead to severe itching, and contact with the milky juice on the skin will cause painful blisters, dermatitis and severe burns. Smoke from burning branches of this tree can cause blindness if it comes into contact with the eyes. Well, it’s not worth talking about the fruits.
Manchineel tree danger warning

Interesting fact: local Indians, during the Spanish conquest of these lands, used an extract from manchinella root as one of the ingredients terrible poison, which lubricated arrowheads. From one such arrow that hit the leg, a famous man died for a long time and painfully. spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon.

This substance is the most active non-metal, interacting with literally anything. If it comes into contact with the skin, such gas will cause a severe chemical burn. It can also contribute to eye damage, including blindness. If you're addicted organic chemistry- remember, fluoride is not to be trifled with.

This compound is found both in industrial pesticides and in the sap of some plants in Australia and South Africa (Dichapetalum cymosum). Consumption of the latter leads to the death of about 8% of livestock grazing in the areas where it grows. What is characteristic is that there is no antidote for this substance. For humans, the lethal dose is 5 mg per 1 kg.
Fluoroacetic acid warning

The most dangerous poison created by man is called dioxin - only 50 micrograms are required for an adult. This is the third most toxic poison known to science - it is 60 times more toxic than cyanide!
Warning about contamination of the area with dioxins

This substance, or rather a whole group of substances, denoted by a single term for ease of perception, belongs to the group of xenobiotics, that is, substances alien to the natural biotic substances of the Earth. This is a consequence chemical industry and waste recycling. Also, dioxins are a cumulative poison, that is, they gradually accumulate both in environment, and in the organisms of living beings, leading to terrible changes.

Dimethylmercury

This colorless liquid is a powerful neurotoxin. Even thick latex gloves will not save you from its effects. This fact confirmed by the tragic death of inorganic chemist Karen Wetterhahn in 1996. A few drops of the substance that fell on the scientist’s glove led to death - after 4 months, symptoms of poisoning began to appear, and six months later the woman died.

Aconite, also known as Fighter, is a whole family of plants, many of which are prized for their beautiful flowers. However, all of them are extremely toxic, however, this only applies to juice. The most poisonous parts of plants are the tubers; the active substance is the aconitine alkaloid.
Aconite plant containing aconitine

According to legend, these plants sprouted from the saliva of Cerberus, whom Hercules brought from the underground kingdom of Hades. What does this legend indicate? The fact that the plant was widely known already in Ancient Greece.

Some modern “healers” promote the idea of ​​treating cancer and many other diseases with tincture of aconite. The clinical effectiveness of this treatment has not been proven and is associated with risks to your health.

Substances of this group are found in poisonous mushrooms, including toadstool, among others. The effect of this poison on the body is extremely destructive - the work of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and heart is paralyzed. Necrosis of liver tissue occurs.
Pale toadstools containing amatoxin

In case of poisoning, the first symptoms appear very sharply after 5 hours or more - depending on the degree of poisoning, its active phase can begin even after a day. The condition is rapidly deteriorating - bloody diarrhea, terrible pain in the abdominal cavity, severe vomiting. Mushroom poisoning with amatoxin in most cases is severe and requires immediate medical intervention.

Three out of four people who contract this bacterium die, even if they are hospitalized and treated. You can become infected from livestock used in agriculture. However, the disease is very acute, so that foci of infection, if they occur, can be promptly identified and destroyed, along with the carriers.
Fencing a quarantine zone due to an anthrax outbreak

Hemlock

You may know this plant under the name Hemlock, or Omega. It is a distant relative of celery and is the carrier of one of the most powerful poisons in the plant kingdom. According to legend, the ancient Greek thinker Socrates was once poisoned with it.

This plant is popular as a murder weapon. Most often it is added to the victim's food under the guise of salad. Poisoning leads to severe convulsions, pain and death. Even if the poisoned person survives, the consequences in the form of amnesia, severe tremors and clouding of reason can haunt him for the rest of his life.
Hemlock plant containing hemlock

At the beginning of the 19th century, medicines based on hemlock were used as an anesthetic.

This is the main ingredient of rat poison, a powerful pesticide. It was synthesized from the seeds of the tropical chilibuha tree, also known as the vomit nut. Strychnine will have no less effective effect on humans than on pests - death from a dose of 50 mg can occur for an adult half an hour after poisoning.
Strychnine bottle

You can become poisoned by strychnine by inhaling its fumes, applying it to the skin, or inadvertently taking it orally. Symptoms appear almost immediately - vomiting and painful convulsions.

Strychnine is one of the most popular poisons, often appearing in literary works, cinema and even comics.

A powerful paralytic poison produced by dinophyte algae. The most potent non-protein toxin, having the most complex cell structure for a non-protein compound produced by a living organism.
Dinoflagellates - plankton that produce maytotoxin

In addition, it is the most terrible “sea” poison. Its source is essentially plankton. Fortunately, poisoning requires an extremely high concentration of these microorganisms, so the risk of accidental poisoning is virtually zero.

Previously, mercury was actively used in thermometers and medical thermometers. Moreover, mercury is the only volatile metal whose vapor poisoning can be fatal. Mercury can cause tissue necrosis, blindness, kidney failure, amnesia and central nervous system paralysis.
This is what liquid mercury looks like

Interesting fact: after analyzing the remains of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, scientists came to the conclusion that the last representative of the Rurik family was poisoned with mercury for a long time, from which he eventually died.

Another deadly metal, but this time it is radioactive. In the last 50 years it has been a popular weapon for demonstrative murder. Alexander Litvinenko, Yasser Arafat, Alexander Goldfarb and others died from polonium poisoning.
Polonium in its natural state

Polonium-210 is 250 thousand times more toxic than hydrocyanic acid. For the death of an adult male, 10 mcg of this isotope entering his body will be sufficient. So, to kill ten million people you would need about a gram of polonium. Typically, the alpha particles of this substance are not able to penetrate the skin, so for polonium poisoning it is necessary to enter the body, for example, through the respiratory tract or oral cavity.

This poison is found in all parts of Cerberus trees, named after the guardian of the gates of the kingdom of Hades. Even the smoke from this tree can cause serious poisoning. The effect of the poison leads to cardiac arrest.
Fruits of the Cerberus tree

In Madagascar, until 1861, eating Cerberus fruits was used in trials and was a kind of analogue of “witch bathing” medieval Europe. If the accused survived after taking it, he was considered innocent, but if he did not survive, it is obvious that guilt can be considered proven.

Botulinum toxin

The most powerful organic poison, neurotoxin. For an adult, the lethal dose will be approximately 0.05 mcg. Entering the body leads to paralysis and further death.
In this form, butulinum toxin is used in aesthetic medicine.

Botox, used in aesthetic medicine, is butulinum toxin, albeit slightly modified.

The bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which produces butulinum toxin, prefer an airless environment. That is why, when spores penetrate canned twists, they activate vital processes, releasing a deadly poison.

Tetrodotoxin

This is the world-famous poison of fugu fish, considered a delicacy in Japan. Once in the body, tetrodotoxin causes respiratory arrest. There is no antidote, but the poisoned person can be saved by supporting the functioning of the respiratory system artificially for some time. However, every year in Japan, several people die from fugu fish poisoning. Several dozen more people are saved.
Fugu fish contains deadly tetrodotoxin

Fugu fish does not produce tetrodotoxin, but only accumulates it from the plankton it consumes, the toxicity of some species of which we have already discussed earlier.

Chemical weapons, military nerve gas. It was created in the mid-30s and was used on the battlefields of World War II and in wars of recent history and major terrorist attacks. It was recognized as a weapon of mass destruction.
Demonstration warhead American rocket Honest John, M139 Sarin containers visible (circa 1960s photo)

This gas is colorless, tasteless and odorless. Death from sarin poisoning is terrible and very fast. Antidotes exist, but comprehensive treatment of those poisoned by sarin on the battlefield is virtually impossible. Sarin is one of the substances prohibited from production and stockpiling under the Chemical Weapons Convention, adopted by the UN in 1997.

This poison is produced by a small yellow frog that lives in tropical forests in the southwest of Colombia - the Terrible Leaf Climber. The poison secreted by the skin glands of the frog and serving as its protection from predators is one of the strongest organic non-protein poisons.
A terrible leaf climber that produces batrachotoxin

The action of the poison paralyzes the respiratory system, muscles and heart, leading to its stop. Local Indians use this poison by running a blowpipe dart across the frog's back. After being wounded by such a dart, a person dies in less than 10 minutes. There is no effective antidote, but scientists have now developed synthetic analogs of batrachotoxin that are twice as toxic.

One of the strongest phytotoxins. It is especially dangerous in aerosol form. Found naturally in castor beans and castor beans. You probably know another derivative of this plant - castor oil.
Castor beans containing ricin

The toxicity of ricin is 6 times higher than that of potassium cyanide. Of course, this substance is used as a weapon. The most resonant case of its use is the murder of the Bulgarian dissident Georgiy Markov.

VI-gas

Chemical warfare agent VX is the most powerful man-made poison ever synthesized by man. Weapons based on this gas are still in service with the armies of the United States and Russia, although according to official data, in 2017 the Russian army completely destroyed its reserves chemical weapons, including VX and its analogues.
This is what the storage facility for the most terrible chemical weapons on Earth looks like

It was this poison that killed him at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in 2017 stepbrother Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea.

As you can see, there are enough dangerous substances of organic origin in the world. But the most powerful poisons are created by man. Today there are several international agreements prohibiting the production and condemning the use of chemical weapons. But its reserves are still large and cases of its use continue to be recorded. How to avoid becoming a victim of poisoning with the substances described in this article? Be vigilant when working with various chemical reagents, do not eat puffer fish meat, do not pet toads and hope that “ strong of the world This is enough prudence to never use any of the arsenal of weapons of mass destruction that they have at their disposal.